Key Points
- Bitcoin’s price struggles to maintain above $61,000 despite a rally in European equities.
- The Bank of England hints at a potential summer rate cut, keeping interest rates steady at 5.25% for now.
Despite the surge in European equity indices, Bitcoin’s price is finding it challenging to sustain above the $61,000 mark. This is happening in the backdrop of the Bank of England maintaining a steady interest rate, with indications of a potential rate cut in the summer.
European Equities Rally, Bitcoin Struggles
Major European and UK equity indices were on the rise on Thursday. The FTSE 100 in London recorded a mid-day trading increase of 22.19 points, reaching a new peak at 8,393.39. Concurrently, the regional Stoxx 600 index in Europe saw a 0.15% increase, standing at 516.54.
The Bank of England, on the same day, announced its decision to maintain the interest rates at 5.25% for the sixth consecutive time. The bank expressed its intention to continue its “wait and see” approach until it is convinced that the conditions for a base rate cut are met.
Bank of England’s Stance on Interest Rates
The bank’s governor, Andrew Bailey, expressed optimism over the recent inflation trends and hinted at a potential rate cut as early as next month, provided inflation aligns with the bank’s predictions. Bailey stated that while inflation news has been encouraging, they need more evidence that it will remain low before they can consider cutting interest rates.
However, Myron Jobson, an analyst at Interactive Investor, emphasized that even if the Bank of England reduces interest rates in the summer, the higher-for-longer interest rate macro environment won’t vanish instantly. He suggested that interest rates could remain higher for the next ten years than they were in the decade following the 2008 financial crisis.
Despite these developments, the Bitcoin price saw a decrease of over 1% in the past 24 hours, trading at $61,411 as of 9:08 a.m. ET.
