Bitcoin falls below $82,000 as hotter U.S. inflation revives rate hike fears

Bitcoin fell below $82,000 on Wednesday after U.S. annual inflation rose to 3.7% in September, exceeding forecasts and reigniting concerns about Federal Reserve interest rate hikes. The Consumer Price Index matched monthly expectations, but core inflation, excluding food and energy, also beat forecasts, climbing to 2.6% annually. This data complicates the Fed's path, potentially making an October rate hike more likely, which typically pressures speculative assets like cryptocurrency. The selloff extended beyond Bitcoin, with Ether and XRP also dropping, while stock futures and gold declined. Crypto-linked stocks like Robinhood Markets fell sharply, reflecting the broader risk-off sentiment triggered by the inflation report.