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January 5, 2026

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Events This Week That Could Make or Break Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP Prices

Forex 3 Mins Read

The post Events This Week That Could Make or Break Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP Prices appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

This week could be crucial for the crypto market. Several US economic reports and Federal Reserve comments are lined up, and they may decide whether Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP among other tokens continue rising or face fresh pressure.

Right now, markets are not trading on hope or hype. They are reacting to economic data, what it means for the Federal Reserve, and how it affects liquidity. That makes this week especially important for crypto investors.

Monday Sets the Tone With Manufacturing Data

The week begins on Monday, January 5, with the release of the ISM Manufacturing report. This data gives an early signal about how strong or weak the US economy is. A stronger reading could support risk assets, while weak data may raise concerns about slowing growth.

Tuesday Shifts Focus to Services and the Fed

On Tuesday, January 6, attention turns to ISM Services, which is more important than manufacturing right now because services drive most of the US economy. The same day, comments from Fed official Tom Barkin will be closely watched. 

Wednesday Is the Most Important Midweek Test

Wednesday, January 7, is packed with events. The ADP jobs report and job openings data will give insight into the labor market. Strong jobs data could delay rate cuts, while weakness may support easier policy.

On the same day, Fed Vice Chair Michelle Bowman will speak. Her comments on regulation, liquidity, and the economy could heavily influence market sentiment. Many traders see Wednesday as the most important day before Friday’s big report.

Thursday Looks Quiet but Still Matters

On Thursday, January 8, the market gets jobless claims and consumer credit data. These reports usually don’t move markets much, but if they show rising stress, investors could quickly turn cautious.

Friday’s Jobs Report Could Decide the Week

Everything leads into Friday, January 9, when the Non-Farm Payrolls, unemployment rate, and wage data are released. This report often shapes expectations for interest rates and liquidity. A hot report could pressure crypto, while softer data may fuel another rally.

Where Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP Stand Now

Bitcoin has continued its steady recovery and is trading near $92,782. It is up 6.35% over the past week, showing strong confidence after recent volatility. However, Bitcoin is still about 26% below its October 2025 all-time high.

Ethereum is outperforming Bitcoin this week. ETH is trading around $3,157, up 7.86% in seven days. While still well below its 2025 peak, Ethereum’s momentum appears stronger, helped by increased activity in DeFi and NFTs.

XRP is the standout performer. The token has jumped 16.83% this week and is trading near $2.12. Although XRP remains far from its all-time high, recent price action shows new interest, possibly linked to the broader bullish sentiment.

Market Trend Remains Constructive

Overall, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP are all moving higher going into the week. Technical indicators also support the bullish tone, with momentum improving and selling pressure fading. For now, bulls remain in control, but upcoming economic data could quickly change the picture.

This week’s events may not just move prices for a day or two. They could shape the direction of crypto markets for the rest of January.

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Stocks

Micron stock: here’s why it is still a buy despite mixed guidance

Stocks 3 Mins Read

Micron stock (NASDAQ: MU) surged after reporting record revenue of $13.64 billion and robust year-over-year earnings growth in its first fiscal quarter of 2026.

The analyst consensus now forecasts full-year earnings near $32.14 per share, a nearly fourfold jump from $8.29 a year earlier.

Strong data-center demand has pushed both DRAM and High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) pricing to levels unseen in a decade.

Yet beneath the headlines lies a genuine tension: today’s supercycle may not last forever, and investors must weigh the opportunity against the company’s historical cyclicality.​

Micron stock: DRAM and HBM lift margins

The core of the bull case is deceptively simple: memory demand overwhelmingly exceeds supply.

Micron reported that DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) prices surged approximately 20% sequentially in fiscal Q1 2026, driven by acute industry shortages.

That price increase translates directly to margin expansion.

In Q1, gross margin hit 56%, a record. For Q2, the company is guiding to 68% gross margin, a level that signals pricing power has reached nearly monopolistic proportions.​

The real story, however, centers on HBM (High Bandwidth Memory).

Micron’s entire 2026 HBM capacity is already sold out, but it is fully committed to customers through long-term supply agreements.

CEO Sanjay Mehrotra stated on the earnings call that the company can currently meet only 50–67% of customer demand because HBM production is physically constrained by cleanroom and equipment capacity.

This scarcity translates into margin leverage that ordinary memory suppliers never enjoy.

Bernstein analysts project DRAM prices will sustain 20–25% quarterly increases through the first half of 2026, implying $32–$40 in fiscal 2026 EPS across a range of analyst models.​

The addressable market for HBM itself is expanding faster than anyone anticipated.

Micron now expects the HBM market to reach $100 billion by 2028, a 40% compound annual growth rate through 2026–27.

That acceleration is driven by hyperscalers’ insatiable appetite for GPU memory.

Each AI data-center rack now demands six to eight times more DRAM than conventional enterprise servers.

For investors, this means the profit lift isn’t just a cyclical bounce-back; it reflects structural, multi-year tailwinds in AI infrastructure spending.​

Cyclical risk remains the chief caveat for investors

The counterargument is equally straightforward: memory is the semiconductor industry’s most cyclical segment.

History warns that today’s tight supply creates tomorrow’s capital expenditure binges.

Micron itself is raising capital expenditures (capex) to $20 billion in fiscal 2026, and competitors Samsung and SK Hynix will likely follow suit.

If all these new fabs come online simultaneously in 2027–28, precisely as AI hardware growth moderates, the industry could swing into oversupply.​

Additionally, valuation concerns loom. At current prices near $315 per share, Micron trades at elevated multiples to 2026 earnings, pricing in perpetually tight conditions.​

The near-term catalysts matter immensely.

The traders will likely keep a close eye on cloud capex guidance in Nvidia and Microsoft earnings, and watch weekly DRAM price indices from brokers.

If pricing flattens or inventory begins to rebuild, expect volatility.

The post Micron stock: here’s why it is still a buy despite mixed guidance appeared first on Invezz

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