Bitcoin dips below $42K as new forecast says breakout 'most probable outcome' for BTC price
Bitcoin (BTC) returned closer to $40,000 on Thursday as $44,000 resistance proved too much for bulls to overcome.
Data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro and TradingView showed BTC/USD shedding around 4% in 24 hours Friday.
The pair had topped $44,450 on Bitstamp before the retracement kicked in, this seeing local lows of $41,780.
While disappointing for those hoping that the worst of the pullback was over, analysts appeared unsurprised by the move, which they said could resolve via a fresh test of $40,000 support.
Pretty much the path for #Bitcoin. pic.twitter.com/VY0BkTXYOM
Popular trader Pentoshi also appeared to get his wish, BTC "sweeping" lows below $42,000 in what he had previously identified as a prime opportunity for entry. $46,000, he added, could be next.
Looming large, however, was another "death cross" chart construction on BTC/USD, a classic signal warning of bearish conditions.
As Cointelegraph previously reported, a death cross occurs when the declining 50-day moving average crosses under the 200-day moving average. The feature is somewhat rare but has not always resulted in bearish behavior thereafter.
Looking ahead, analysts at trading suite Decentrader remained bullish on mid-term price action, acknowledging that another dip into the $30,000-$40,000 range may yet occur.
Related: Top or bottom? Traders at odds over whether Bitcoin will keep rising
The two-month downtrend from early December was ripe for disruption, they argued in a market update issued Friday, and the upside was "likely" over a cascade lower.
"It is our view that we may need to see some further ranging between $44,000 and potentially $38,000 before an eventual breakout. This ranging is likely to cause more pain and misery for any traders who try to
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