US Employment Losses at a 17-Year High, Hope for Bitcoin

Planned layoffs in the U.S. have tripled in January, reaching the highest level since 2009. This situation signals a severe slowdown in the labor market despite official employment data.

Private indicators, such as Challenger layoffs data and a blockchain-based real-time inflation index, point to weakening growth and deflation. These developments could increase the likelihood of the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates.

Expectations regarding Federal Reserve policies are quite divided. Some economists foresee an aggressive easing policy that could support risky assets, especially those like Bitcoin. Bitcoin has lost nearly 50% of its value since its historical peak.