How Ethereum reacted to the Personal Consumption Expenditures on 29 January 2021

The short answer

Hardly a reaction. In the 15 minutes after the figure came out, Ethereum's price swung 0.63 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 0.47% higher.

0.63x

Quiet

Trading (volume ratio)
1.16x
usual for PCE: 2.11x
Price at 8:30 AM
$1,412.19
15 minutes later
+0.04%
One hour later
+0.47%
range 2.14%, hour before 1.49%
ETH/USDT, 1 hour candles around the release, 8:30 AM America/New York

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

Open
1,350.52
Close
1,383.91
24h change
2.41%
24h high
1,436.90
24h low
1,285.35
24h volume
2.223M ETH

The release

Released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis on 29 January 2021 at 8:30 AM EST. The Personal Consumption Expenditures came in at 0.4% for December 2020, against 0.1% in November 2020. Prices are rising faster 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.

Measured by Clometrix

Ethereum's volatility ratio was 0.63x, against 1.77x for a typical PCE release since 2021. Its volume ratio was 1.16x, against a typical 2.11x. Under 1.5x is not a reaction at all: the market barely noticed this release. 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 $1,412.19 when the figure came out. Fifteen minutes later it was unchanged, and an hour later 0.47% higher. Its high-to-low range in the hour after was 2.14% of its price, against 1.49% in the hour before.

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 18, against 1.72x across 52. This one came out 2 days after the Federal Reserve's 27 January rate decision. Its own ratio of 0.63x compares with 1.72x for those, so it moved the price less than its circumstances would suggest.

What it means

Ethereum registered a quiet reaction to the December PCE print of 0.4 percent, with volatility reaching only 0.63x against the 1.80x median for the event since 2021. Volume rose a modest 1.16x versus the usual 2.15x. The market barely noticed the release, which arrived together with personal income and core PCE data.

The price stood at $1,412.19 at the 8:30 AM release and stayed unchanged fifteen minutes later before edging 0.47 percent higher after an hour. Its high-to-low range widened only to 2.14 percent in that hour from 1.49 percent beforehand.

Placement two days after the Federal Reserve's January rate decision likely contributed to the subdued response. PCE releases in the two weeks before policy meetings have shown a median volatility ratio of 1.86x for Ethereum, close to the 1.77x recorded at other times. This instance produced even less movement than those benchmarks would indicate.

Traders may note that acceleration in the spending gauge can still coincide with negligible price action when the release falls outside the immediate pre-decision window, though the record supplies no template for the next instance.

How it compares

Across 69 PCE releases since 2021, Ethereum's usual price swing is 1.77x. This one was 0.36 times the usual.

MutedOrdinaryStrongExceptional

Thin line: PCE's usual, 1.77x. Thick line: this release, 0.63x. Under 1.5x counts as no reaction at all.

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 1417.16 1412.14 1417.16 0.35% 0.35% 0.08% 1,319 ETH
5 minutes 1418.00 1412.14 1414.80 0.18% 0.41% 0.25% 7,098 ETH
10 minutes 1418.00 1407.80 1411.84 -0.02% 0.72% 0.56% 12,698 ETH
15 minutes 1418.00 1407.80 1412.75 0.04% 0.72% 0.56% 20,050 ETH
30 minutes 1428.57 1407.80 1424.74 0.88% 1.45% 1.48% 52,229 ETH
1 hour 1436.90 1406.66 1418.83 0.47% 2.10% 1.48% 106,965 ETH
2 hours 1436.90 1371.33 1401.88 -0.74% 4.56% 2.30% 240,216 ETH
4 hours 1436.90 1365.00 1388.16 -1.73% 5.00% 5.94% 388,596 ETH
6 hours 1436.90 1321.49 1323.49 -6.70% 8.03% 9.61% 562,927 ETH
8 hours 1436.90 1345.00 1388.16 1.26% 6.40% 7.93% 948,488 ETH
12 hours 1436.90 1313.12 1383.91 -2.04% 8.61% 10.11% 981,596 ETH

Every coin at this release

Coin Price swing Usual for PCE Reaction
Bitcoin 0.74x 2.03x Quiet
Ethereum 0.63x 1.77x Quiet
XRP 1.68x 1.81x Ordinary
BNB 0.59x 1.75x Quiet
Solana 0.33x 1.57x Quiet
Dogecoin 1.19x 1.52x Quiet
TRON 13.23x 1.43x Exceptional
Cardano 0.48x 1.90x Quiet
Chainlink 0.76x 1.62x Quiet
Bitcoin Cash 0.55x 1.69x Quiet
Hedera 0.88x 1.51x Quiet
Avalanche 0.28x 1.55x Quiet
Litecoin 0.61x 1.64x Quiet
Uniswap 0.78x 1.49x Quiet
Polkadot 0.69x 1.50x Quiet
Aave 0.52x 1.58x Quiet
NEAR Protocol 0.99x 1.43x Quiet
POL (prev. MATIC) 1.16x 1.60x Quiet
Filecoin 0.48x 1.51x Quiet

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 0.63x a lot?

No. Under 1.5x the market barely noticed the release.

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.

More questions · Glossary

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.