(Reuters) – Breaking the $100,000 barrier raises the prospect of cryptocurrency entering the mainstream, U.S. inflation data will show how much pressure is on the Fed to adjust interest rates and central banks in Europe, Australia and Brazil are meeting.

Here’s what to watch out for in the coming week: Marcela Ayres in Brasilia, Kevin Buckland in Tokyo, Ira Iosebashvili in New York, and Dhara Ranasinghe and Amanda Cooper in London.

1/ FOUR AND COUNTING

For ECB policymakers, their last meeting in October must seem like a lifetime ago.

Since then, Donald Trump’s US election victory means the eurozone faces renewed economic problems with likely tariffs, while governments in key Germany and France have collapsed, with the latter plunging into its second political crisis in six months. . All this dealt a blow to the mood in the bloc, where business activity is deteriorating and the euro is weakening.

The ECB, which is also no stranger to arduous times, is expected to cut interest rates for the fourth time on Thursday, with further reductions expected.

A rise in inflation means a larger rate cut is unlikely. And yes, you guessed it, ECB chief Christine Lagarde will likely emphasize caution and data dependence.

2/ CUT AND HARD PLACE

Australia’s central bank, which meets on Tuesday, is in a arduous situation. The economy is weakening, the currency is at a four-month low and inflation is persistent enough to make another rate cut unlikely.

The chances of a quarter-point cut are below 15% and rates are expected to fall by as much as 50 basis points by July.

The Bank of Canada, on the other hand, seems ready to respond to investors’ wishes for further cuts. It said inflation was a thing of the past and further reductions could occur, leaving the market divided on whether the December 11 meeting would bring a cut of 25 or even 50 basis points.

Enter the most dovish of the G10 central banks, the Swiss National Bank. With inflation at 0.7%, interest rates are expected to be cut by 50 basis points on December 12.

3/ DON’T RUSH

Markets analyzing the Federal Reserve’s policy trajectory in the coming months will get a reading of U.S. inflation on Wednesday. Since September, after months of lowering inflation, the Fed has cut interest rates by 75 basis points (bps) – another 25 basis point cut is expected in behind schedule December.

But the road ahead is less clear. The economy turned out to be stronger than expected, and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said there was no reason to accelerate the pace of cuts.

A vast number could reinforce that view, potentially triggering a bond selloff again and strengthening the dollar if investors decide to further take back bets on how much the Fed will cut interest rates next year. Economists polled by Reuters expect consumer prices to rise 0.2% in November, matching October’s escalate.

4/ BITCOIN EXPLOSION

There was something inevitable about Bitcoin’s record surge above $100,000 following Trump’s campaign promise to make America the “crypto capital of the planet.”

But it did so in impressive fashion, rising from under $99,000 to as high as $103,619 in two hours before catching its breath. The catalyst may have been Trump’s confirmation of cryptocurrency veteran Paul Atkins’ selection to lead the SEC. Of course, $100,000 is just a number – but believers and skeptics alike consider it a milestone in Bitcoin’s 16-year journey towards legality.

Let us remember, however, that its history is written in breathless rallies and missed retreats. Although amounts such as $150,000 for 2025 are already mentioned, the token flashes as overbought on the daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly charts.

5/ FINAL ACT

Brazil’s central bank will hold its final meeting under Governor Roberto Campos Neto on Wednesday and is betting on a sharper 75-basis-point hike after two hikes brought rates down to 11.25%.

Campos Neto, who is scheduled to hold a news conference on December 19, said a positive fiscal shock could ease pressure on the exchange rate and long-term yields in Latin America’s largest economy. However, the government’s widely anticipated fiscal package disappointed markets, pushing up risk premiums for major assets.

The Brazilian real has weakened by about 20% against the dollar since the beginning of the year, and robust economic resilience – evident in the third quarter – is fueling inflation concerns. As policymakers grapple with mounting challenges, Congress is debating measures to rein in spending and stem rising debt.

(Graphic by Sumanta Sen, Kripa Jayaram and Prinz Magtulis, editing by Karin Strohecker, editing by Barbara Grapple (YO:))