Bitcoin dipped to about $81,000 late Thursday and has since traded inside a range of less than $1,000, changing hands near $81,500 early Friday. After a week that featured $3,000 swings, it marks the calmest stretch for the largest cryptocurrency in days.
The coin is down 0.4% over 24 hours and remains below $82,500, the support level it lost on Thursday.
Altcoins mixed
Movers among alternative cryptocurrencies were uneven, according to CoinDesk data:
- BNB was the standout, gaining nearly 2% to about $745.
- DOGE added about 1%.
- XMR fell 7% to about $607, giving back part of Thursday's jump.
- ZEC lost nearly 4% to about $1,200.
- HYPE, XRP, ether and SOL each slipped about 1% or less, with ether just under $2,400.
Stocks find their footing
Equities steadied after a sharp pullback. Nasdaq 100 futures were little changed following the index's worst session since June, and an exchange-traded fund tracking chipmakers edged higher before the open. Meta continued to decline, while SpaceX climbed on reports that it plans to become a wireless carrier.
Oil is the worry
Brent crude touched its highest level since early May, a move that complicates the inflation outlook heading into the Federal Reserve's Oct. 27-28 meeting. Treasuries gave back some of Thursday's haven rally, which had pushed the 10-year yield down by the most in more than a year. Gold and the dollar were flat.
