<\/p>\n
Major cryptocurrencies were stable on Thursday, Oct. 21, showing signs of a wait-and-see approach as traders positioned ahead of a key U.S. inflation report.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
At press time, the global crypto market cap was at $3.75 trillion, down 0.2% in the past 24 hours. Bitcoin traded near $108,720, up 0.1%, while Ethereum slipped 1.1% to $3,839. BNB rose 0.9% to $1,086, and Solana eased 0.8% to $184.<\/p>\n
After a wild start to the week, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index increased to 27, moving from \u201cExtreme Fear\u201d to \u201cFear,\u201d indicating that the market is starting to stabilize. According to CoinGlass data<\/a>, there has been $499 million in liquidations over the last 24 hours, down 30% from the previous day<\/p>\n There was also a cooling in speculative activity as open interest on major exchanges dropped 0.57% to $148 billion. The average crypto market relative strength index is at 43, indicating neutral momentum.<\/p>\n Traders are largely in a holding pattern ahead of the U.S. Consumer Price Index release scheduled for Oct. 24 at 8:30 a.m. ET, a key indicator shaping Federal Reserve policy.\u00a0<\/p>\n Postponed because of the government shutdown on Oct. 1, the report will establish the 2026 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment and has the potential to significantly impact market sentiment.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The headline CPI is expected to increase by 0.4% month over month and 3.1% year over year for September, according to forecasts from FactSet and Bloomberg. The core inflation is forecasted to remain stable at 3.1%.<\/p>\n Crypto\u2019s correlation with equities remains high, about 0.85 with the Nasdaq, meaning a hotter inflation print could pressure Bitcoin toward $104,000\u2013$105,000, while a softer result could trigger a relief rally toward $110,000.<\/p>\nTraders eye U.S. CPI data for direction<\/h2>\n
ETF outflows add cautious tone<\/h2>\n