Bitcoin

In a market already gripped by extreme fear (Fear & Greed 25) and bearish sentiment, any reduction in systemic uncertainty—even from a local labor dispute—can prevent further downside. The suspension of strikes avoids compounding negative sentiment in London, a global financial hub, and may slightly ease concerns about UK economic stability.

The RMT union suspended a series of planned 24-hour Tube strikes that were scheduled to start on Tuesday.

RMT Union Calls Off Planned London Tube Strikes, Removing One Macro Uncertainty for Crypto Markets

RMT strike suspension removes a UK inflation risk, potentially paving the way for a dovish BoE pivot that could lift Bitcoin

El Niño patterns historically affect global commodity prices (energy, food) and can influence central bank policy decisions on inflation. For crypto, which is increasingly correlated with macro risk assets, any weather-driven supply shock or inflation surprise could shift the Fed's rate path, impacting liquidity and risk appetite. This non-crypto event becomes a second-order driver for digital assets through the macro conduit.

Nature reports that the strength of an upcoming El Niño weather pattern remains uncertain as of May 15, 2026.

El Niño Uncertainty Adds to Crypto's Macro Jitters, Miners Hedge Energy Costs

El Niño uncertainty drives miners to quietly hedge energy costs via weather derivatives, a market ignored by crypto media.

Crypto Liquidations Top $388M as Leverage Wipes Out Long Positions

The market's dismissal of neutral news like this reflects a risk-off environment where traders are hyper-focused on macro triggers (e.g., Fed policy shifts) rather than sector-specific developments. This aligns with the current $2.73T market cap correction where high BTC dominance (58.3%) is crushing altcoins, showing institutional capital is fleeing speculative assets.

Nature published an article discussing the need for cultural change in research institutions to adopt animal-testing alternatives.