Ripple maintains the upward trend after digesting U.S. data.

Ripple (XRP) maintains an upward bias, trading near $1.45 at the time of writing on Friday. U.S. jobs data and a sharp acceleration in job growth in August, while the unemployment rate held at 4.1%, indicate continued labor‑market stability and keep the possibility of a Federal Reserve rate hike this month on the table. Short‑term market expectations currently put the probability of a U.S. rate increase at about 65% for the Fed meeting scheduled for September 15‑16, up from roughly 55% before the release of the Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

U.S. inflation is the market’s top focus for the coming week, with attention now on the upcoming U.S. consumer‑price and producer‑price inflation data, which could provide further clues on the Fed’s monetary‑policy trajectory.

The cross‑border payment currency is taking a breather after breaking above $1.31 and climbing to a recent high of $1.48 the previous day, signaling buyers returning to the market, even as the price retreated from its August peak of $1.70. The path of least resistance remains primarily upward, supported by an improving technical structure, with the main moving averages staying below the spot price as it rises.

Ripple’s on‑chain activity has fallen back to normal levels; on‑chain trading on the XRP Ledger (XRPL) declined after peaking at 930,000 active addresses in August. According to data from the Santiment platform, the number of wallets interacting with the protocol by sending or receiving value stabilized at around 26,000. The August surge was an outlier, driven by heightened user participation amid broadly rising crypto prices.

XRP rose to $1.70, coinciding with improved market sentiment. With the spot price remaining at relatively high levels, the uptick in on‑chain activity could bolster short‑ to medium‑term outlooks for the token.

Meanwhile, spot Ripple exchange‑traded funds (ETFs) recorded net inflows of about $19 million as of Thursday, indicating continued, albeit slower, risk‑on sentiment. Over the past week, cumulative net inflows averaged $110 million, the highest level since early December.

Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade fell on Friday, continuing their decline from a three‑and‑a‑half‑year high set earlier this week, as traders kept an eye on diplomatic efforts to end the Russia‑Ukraine war, which could help ease disruptions to grain shipments through the Black Sea.

Oil prices rose during Friday trading, posting weekly gains, as tensions between the United States and Iran escalated, heightening concerns about supply risks from the Middle East.

Gold fell during Friday trading, recording a weekly loss after stronger‑than‑expected U.S. jobs data bolstered expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike later.