The delayed employment data released following the historically long government shutdown in the US has created a cautious price in crypto markets. The nonfarm payrolls report, normally released on the first Friday of each month, was released today due to the 43-day-plus shutdown. While the September figures reveal that the economy created jobs above expectations, the rise in the unemployment rate cast a more mixed tone on the data. This picture has reopened discussion about the possibility of a rate cut for the Fed's December meeting.
119,000 new jobs announced
According to data released by the US Department of Labor, the economy created 119,000 new jobs in September. Market expectations were 53,000. Furthermore, the previous figure of 22,000 was revised downward, not upward, suggesting that summer employment growth was weaker than anticipated. The significant downward revisions to the July and August data suggest that employment momentum has slowed since the summer.
However, the picture is not entirely positive. The unemployment rate, at 4.4%, exceeded expectations. Economists expected the data to remain at 4.3%. Despite strong employment growth, this rise in unemployment indicated a more complex labor market outlook than anticipated. Furthermore, due to the government shutdown, October employment data will not be released at all. This further narrows the data set available for investors to analyze as the Fed approaches its final meeting of the year.
The market's initial pricing reflects this uncertainty. According to CME FedWatch, the probability of a December interest rate cut has fallen to 31.8% from 100% a month ago. The probability of the Fed holding interest rates steady is priced in at 68.2%. Under normal circumstances, strong employment data would have lifted the dollar index; however, the DXY only saw limited movement, settling at 100.15. This suggests that markets are hesitant to take overly aggressive positions as they attempt to understand the Fed's response.
A similar cautious approach prevails in the crypto market. Immediately after the data release, Bitcoin (BTC) traded within a narrow range of around $500, trading at $92,230. Ethereum (ETH) settled around $3,034. Normally, strong employment data can trigger sharper sell-offs in risk assets; however, the limited initial response suggests that crypto investors are trying to absorb macro uncertainties.
According to some analysts, the continued resilience of employment could prompt the Fed to act more cautiously at its final meeting of the year. This is a key factor in determining Bitcoin's short-term direction. Meanwhile, the price of gold rose slightly intraday to around $4,080 in the commodity market, which is the source of the data; however, the real volatility will be seen in the crypto market.
Investors are now focused on next week's PMI and inflation indicators. These data will provide clues about the Fed's policy stance heading into 2025. Cautious pricing in the crypto market is expected to continue for a short time.
