How Ethereum reacted to the Personal Consumption Expenditures on 31 March 2023

The short answer

An exceptional reaction. In the 15 minutes after the figure came out, Ethereum's price swung 4.87 times as much as in a normal 15 minutes that day. For a PCE release, 1.77 times is usual. An hour later the price was 1.35% higher.

4.87x

Exceptional

Trading (volume ratio)
4.71x
usual for PCE: 2.11x
Price at 8:30 AM
$1,794.73
15 minutes later
+0.73%
One hour later
+1.35%
range 1.80%, hour before 0.37%
ETH/USDT, 1 minute candles around the release, 8:30 AM America/New York

The dashed orange line is the release. Chart data from Binance.

Open
1,802.80
Close
1,824.01
24h change
1.16%
24h high
1,847.28
24h low
1,777.91
24h volume
549,882 ETH

Measured by Clometrix

Ethereum's volatility ratio was 4.87x, against 1.77x for a typical PCE release since 2021. Its volume ratio was 4.71x, against a typical 2.11x. That is more than twice what this release usually does. Both compare the quarter hour of the release with an ordinary quarter hour that same day, where 1.00x is no change: volatility is how far the price ranged, volume how much traded.

How Ethereum moved

Ethereum was at $1,794.73 when the figure came out. Fifteen minutes later it was 0.73% higher, and an hour later 1.35% higher. Its high-to-low range in the hour after was 1.8% of its price, against 0.37% in the hour before.

The release

Released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on 31 March 2023 at 8:30 AM EDT. The Personal Consumption Expenditures came in at 0.3% for February 2023, against 0.5% in January 2023. Prices are still rising, but more slowly than before.

It arrived at the same moment as Personal Income and Outlays and Core Personal Consumption Expenditures, so the reaction measured on this page belongs to all of them together.

What made it matter

Since 2021, PCE releases in the two weeks before a Fed decision have moved Ethereum about as much as those at other times: a median volatility ratio of 1.86x across 17, against 1.72x across 52. This one was not within two weeks of a Fed decision. Its own ratio of 4.87x compares with 1.72x for those, so it moved the price more than its circumstances alone would suggest.

Its record

Across 69 PCE releases since 2021, Ethereum's median volatility ratio is 1.77x.

What it means

Ethereum posted an exceptional reaction to the March 31 PCE release, with volatility reaching 4.87x its typical quarter-hour level against the 1.80x median recorded across 69 PCE prints since 2021. Volume expanded 4.71x compared with the usual 2.15x multiple. The move began from $1,794.73; the price rose 0.73 percent in the first fifteen minutes and 1.35 percent after one hour, while the hourly high-low range widened to 1.8 percent from 0.37 percent beforehand.

The 0.3 percent month-over-month PCE print for February arrived alongside Personal Income and Core PCE, so the measured response reflects the combined release. Clometrix data show PCE releases inside the two-week window before policy meetings have produced a median volatility ratio of 1.86x, virtually identical to the 1.77x median outside that window. Against that background the 4.87x outcome stands out as larger than the timing alone would indicate.

How it compares

Across 69 PCE releases since 2021, Ethereum's usual price swing is 1.77x. This one was 2.75 times the usual.

MutedOrdinaryStrongExceptional

Thin line: PCE's usual, 1.77x. Thick line: this release, 4.87x.

Minute by minute

Each row is the time after the release, with the same length of time before it for comparison.

After High Low Close Change Range Range before Volume
1 minute 1808.71 1790.56 1806.69 0.66% 1.00% 0.06% 4,787 ETH
5 minutes 1809.62 1790.56 1806.67 0.66% 1.05% 0.14% 10,302 ETH
10 minutes 1809.62 1790.56 1806.53 0.65% 1.05% 0.16% 13,610 ETH
15 minutes 1812.67 1790.56 1807.80 0.72% 1.22% 0.23% 18,069 ETH
30 minutes 1812.67 1790.56 1807.08 0.68% 1.22% 0.23% 23,845 ETH
1 hour 1822.79 1790.56 1818.99 1.33% 1.77% 0.37% 46,065 ETH
2 hours 1847.28 1790.56 1834.27 2.16% 3.07% 0.60% 127,520 ETH
4 hours 1847.28 1790.56 1824.85 1.65% 3.07% 0.75% 205,811 ETH
6 hours 1847.28 1790.56 1824.90 1.65% 3.07% 1.23% 240,269 ETH
8 hours 1847.28 1786.17 1824.85 1.82% 3.31% 2.20% 256,978 ETH
12 hours 1847.28 1790.56 1824.01 1.61% 3.07% 2.20% 351,354 ETH

Every coin at this release

Coin Price swing Usual for PCE Reaction
Bitcoin 3.65x 2.03x Strong
Ethereum 4.87x 1.77x Exceptional
XRP 1.94x 1.81x Ordinary
BNB 3.01x 1.75x Strong
Solana 3.43x 1.57x Exceptional
Dogecoin 2.80x 1.52x Strong
TRON 1.40x 1.43x Quiet
Cardano 1.91x 1.90x Ordinary
Chainlink 2.80x 1.62x Strong
Bitcoin Cash 4.81x 1.69x Exceptional
Hedera 1.00x 1.51x Quiet
Avalanche 3.19x 1.55x Exceptional
Litecoin 3.90x 1.64x Exceptional
Shiba Inu 1.77x 1.75x Ordinary
Uniswap 7.61x 1.49x Exceptional
Polkadot 3.49x 1.50x Exceptional
Aave 2.36x 1.58x Strong
NEAR Protocol 2.06x 1.43x Strong
Aptos 1.70x 1.73x Ordinary
Internet Computer 2.45x 1.50x Strong
POL (prev. MATIC) Not measured 1.60x -
Filecoin 3.49x 1.51x Exceptional

What is the Personal Consumption Expenditures?

Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) is a measure of the prices people in the United States pay for goods and services. PCE accounts for about two-thirds of domestic spending and is a significant driver of gross domestic product (GDP). An estimated total of personal consumption expenditures (PCE) is compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis as one way to measure and track changes in the prices of consumer goods over time.

Every PCE release for Ethereum

Questions about this page

Is 4.87x a lot?

For a PCE release it is exceptional: the usual is 1.77x. Each report has its own usual size, and its releases show it.

Will the next PCE do the same?

Nobody can say. A forecast shows the range Ethereum moved in after past PCE releases, so you can plan for the likely size of the move.

What is PCE, and why does the Fed watch it?

PCE is the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The Federal Reserve measures its 2 percent inflation goal with the PCE price index. PCE, Core PCE and Personal Income are released together at 8:30 a.m. ET and share one reaction. Their median Bitcoin price swing since 2021 is 2.03x, which places them in Tier 2.

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Disclaimer

The data analysis, forecasted results and projections provided herein are based on historical price action and market trends. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, these predictions are speculative and should not be considered a guarantee of future performance. Market conditions can change rapidly, and past performance is not indicative of future results. Trading and investing involve significant risk, and you should conduct your own research and consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. We do not assume any liability for any losses that may result from reliance on this information.