Btc stalls at $78,700 as Japan inflation rattles markets

Bitcoin stalled near $78,700 as investors turned cautious amid hotter-than-expected Japanese inflation and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Japan’s March data (services wage index +3.1%; core inflation 1.8%) and a sharper rise in oil prices have increased speculation that the Bank of Japan may adopt a more hawkish stance, which could lift the yen and trigger broader risk‑off flows. Oil (WTI) has jumped more than 40% since February, reaching about $96/bbl, a driver of inflation concerns. Markets traded quietly overall; BTC slipped modestly (about -0.6% on the day) and ended the week around $77,800 while ETH hovered near $2,300 (-0.8%).