Published: April 10, 2026Author: MEXC Crypto Pulse Team Overview Two major macro signals collided this week, sending shockwaves across global financial markets. A fragile US-Iran ceasefire — celebratePublished: April 10, 2026Author: MEXC Crypto Pulse Team Overview Two major macro signals collided this week, sending shockwaves across global financial markets. A fragile US-Iran ceasefire — celebrate

Oil's Not Done Yet — And China's Factory Prices Just Changed the Game

Published: April 10, 2026
Author: MEXC Crypto Pulse Team
 

Overview

 
Two major macro signals collided this week, sending shockwaves across global financial markets. A fragile US-Iran ceasefire — celebrated briefly with a historic single-day oil crash — is already unraveling, pushing crude prices back toward the $100 level. Simultaneously, China's Producer Price Index (PPI) turned positive for the first time in over four years, ending a 41-month deflation streak. For crypto traders, both developments carry significant weight: oil prices directly shape inflation expectations, which in turn define the Federal Reserve's policy trajectory and the macro liquidity environment that drives Bitcoin and altcoins.
 

Key Takeaways

 
The US-Iran two-week ceasefire triggered a 16%+ single-day oil crash, but ceasefire doubts have since pushed WTI back toward $100/barrel
 
Strait of Hormuz tanker traffic remains near zero — just 4–5 ships per day vs. hundreds before the war
 
China's PPI rose 0.5% YoY in March 2026, snapping a 41-month deflation streak — the first positive reading in nearly four years
 
Bitcoin briefly surged to $72,700 on ceasefire news; over $600 million in crypto short positions were liquidated
 
Elevated oil prices suppress Fed rate-cut expectations and cap crypto upside in the near term
 

The Ceasefire That Wasn't — Oil's Wild Ride

 

A Deal Struck at the Eleventh Hour

 
On the evening of April 7, President Trump announced via social media that the US and Iran had agreed to a two-week ceasefire, contingent on Iran's "complete, immediate, and safe opening of the Strait of Hormuz." According to CNBC, WTI crude plunged over 16% to settle at $94.41 per barrel — its biggest single-day decline since April 2020 — while Brent dropped 13.3% to $94.75. Global stock markets surged in unison.
 
But the relief proved short-lived. As NBC News reported, just hours after the announcement, Iran's parliament speaker declared on social media that the US had violated the terms of the deal, while Iranian state media reported the Strait of Hormuz had been re-closed following continued Israeli strikes on Lebanon.
 

Oil Rebounds as Reality Sets In

 
By April 10, crude had clawed back sharply. ING commodity analysts wrote in a note that "prices rebounded as fighting in the Middle East continued and the ceasefire outlook deteriorated, keeping uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz firmly in focus." WTI surged more than 5.5% back toward $100 per barrel.
 
Physical data on the water reinforced the bearish narrative. According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, just four ships transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday and five on Thursday — a fraction of the hundreds that passed through daily before the war.
 

The Long Road Back to Normal

 
Even under an optimistic scenario, energy markets face a prolonged recovery. Coface Asia-Pacific chief economist Bernard Aw says a meaningful decline in oil prices would take around 3–6 months, even if hostilities fully cease. The war has already taken over 10 million barrels of crude offline per day, and drawn-down inventories will take weeks or months to replenish. Goldman Sachs warned that if the Strait of Hormuz blockade persists for one month, annual average Brent crude could exceed $100 per barrel.
 
As oil analyst Andrew Lipow noted to CNN, crude is still $30 per barrel higher than it was on February 27, before the conflict began.
 

China's Factory Prices Flip Positive — A Four-Year First

 

The End of 41 Months of Deflation

 
In a separate but equally significant development, China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported on April 10 that China's PPI rose 0.5% year-on-year in March 2026, ending a 41-consecutive-month streak of decline. This reversed a 0.9% drop recorded in February and came in slightly above market expectations. NBS statistician Dong Lijuan attributed the turnaround to imported inflationary pressures from soaring global commodity prices and improving supply-demand dynamics in key domestic sectors.
 
On a month-on-month basis, according to Xinhua, the PPI rose 1.0% in March — its sixth straight monthly gain, and the fastest pace in 48 months.
 

What's Driving the Recovery?

 
Nonferrous metal mining and dressing industry prices surged 36.4% year-on-year, while nonferrous metal smelting and pressing rose 22.4%, and petroleum and natural gas extraction climbed 5.2% — all directly linked to the Middle East energy disruption. The NBS also highlighted new growth drivers: the "AI Plus" initiative gaining pace and surging demand for computing power are lifting prices in related technology sectors.
 
Invezz noted that while the 0.5% gain is modest, it marks a clear structural shift — and the above-expectations reading suggests industrial price recovery may be moving faster than analysts had anticipated.
 

Global Implications

 
As the world's largest manufacturing exporter, China's rising factory-gate prices carry a global ripple effect: higher export costs feed into goods inflation in importing nations and add another layer of complexity to the global central bank calculus. March CPI came in at 1.0% YoY, easing from February's 1.3%, suggesting the pass-through from producer to consumer prices remains uneven for now — but the direction of travel is clear.
 

What It All Means for Crypto Markets

 

The Oil-Inflation-Crypto Chain

 
The relationship between crude oil and Bitcoin is not direct — but the transmission mechanism is well-established. As Phemex Academy explains, the chain runs: oil shock → inflation pressure → rates outlook → liquidity conditions → BTC and altcoin performance. That chain was on full display again this month.
 
When the ceasefire was announced, Bitcoin surged to an intraday high of $72,700. According to CoinDesk, nearly $600 million in leveraged short positions were liquidated within hours, with bearish bets accounting for over $420 million of the total — a classic short squeeze triggered by a sudden geopolitical reversal.
 

Why the Rally Remains Fragile

 
Wall Street and crypto analysts alike caution against premature bullishness. QCP Capital stated: "This remains a pause rather than a durable settlement, with the ceasefire conditional on how Iran manages passage through Hormuz over the coming weeks. The physical damage narrative has not gone away."
 
According to CME FedWatch data, markets briefly priced in a ~60% probability of at least one rate cut in H2 2026 after the ceasefire — a figure that has since retreated sharply as oil rebounded, and with it, crypto's near-term upside momentum.
 
Yahoo Finance cites analysts projecting that if the ceasefire holds and oil drops below $90, Bitcoin could challenge $75,000–$80,000 before month-end. If the ceasefire collapses, BTC risks retesting the $65,000 level.
 
Navigate this volatility with a platform built for serious traders.
 
 

Three Variables Every Crypto Investor Should Watch

 

1. Strait of Hormuz Physical Traffic Recovery

 
Daily ship counts, insurance market normalization, and the terms under which Iran permits passage are the most direct leading indicators for oil price direction.
 

2. China PPI Sustainability

 
If Chinese factory-gate prices continue rising, the world should expect a gradual export of goods inflation — adding upside pressure to global CPI prints and complicating monetary easing timelines at major central banks.
 

3. Fed Rate-Cut Probability

 
Energy prices cooling fast enough before the ceasefire premium fades is the single most important macro variable for crypto in April. Watch the CME FedWatch tool and weekly EIA inventory data as real-time gauges.
 

FAQ

 

Q1: Why does the Iran ceasefire affect crypto markets?

 
A: Oil prices directly influence global inflation expectations. When oil falls, rate-cut hopes improve, boosting risk appetite and benefiting assets like Bitcoin and altcoins. When oil rebounds on ceasefire doubts, that dynamic reverses quickly.
 

Q2: What does China's PPI turning positive mean for Bitcoin?

 
A: China's factory-gate prices feeding into global goods inflation could push central banks — including the Fed — to hold rates higher for longer, reducing liquidity and suppressing the risk-on environment that typically benefits crypto.
 

Q3: Is the US-Iran ceasefire permanent?

 
A: No. The current deal is explicitly a two-week temporary pause. Permanent resolution would require sustained negotiations, Strait of Hormuz normalization, and broader geopolitical de-escalation — none of which have been achieved.
 

Q4: What are Bitcoin's key price levels to watch?

 
A: Key support sits near $69,000–$71,000. A sustained break above $75,000 would signal a recovery phase. A failed ceasefire combined with persistently high oil prices risks a test of $65,000 or lower.
 

Q5: How can I trade macro-related crypto opportunities on MEXC?

 
A: MEXC offers spot and futures trading across hundreds of crypto assets, including BTC, ETH, and commodity-correlated tokens. Register now and access professional tools to stay ahead of macro-driven market moves.
 

Disclaimer

 
This article is produced by the MEXC Crypto Pulse Team for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk, including the potential loss of all invested capital. Prices and market conditions referenced herein are based on publicly available information at the time of writing and may have changed. Readers should conduct their own independent research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. MEXC assumes no liability for investment decisions made based on the content of this article.
 

About the Author

 
MEXC Crypto Pulse Team is the in-house market research and content team at MEXC, one of the world's leading cryptocurrency exchanges. With expertise spanning macroeconomics, digital assets, and blockchain technology, the team delivers timely, data-driven analysis to help global users navigate fast-moving crypto and financial markets.
 

Sources

 
China's PPI up 0.5 pct in March — Bastille Post / Xinhua
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