Christian Barker (Barkmeta / Bark): Waller Signals Rate Hold, Majors Post Modest Gains

FedWatch odds for a September rate hike fell to 48.4 percent after Fed Governor Christopher Waller’s September 3 comments.

Waller said he would be inclined to keep the federal funds rate unchanged at the September 15-16 FOMC meeting if upcoming inflation prints continue to show progress toward the 2 percent target. The phrasing that surfaced across desks was simple: give disinflation a chance, and wait one meeting.

Price reaction across majors

CoinGecko data at 5:47 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 5, showed BTC at $79,900, up 0.1 percent on the day. ETH traded at $2,490.34, higher by 1.4 percent. XRP sat at $1.42, also up 1.4 percent. SOL reached $103.94 for a 2.0 percent gain. DOGE led the group at $0.091263, rising 7.4 percent.

The moves arrived on light weekend volume, yet the leadership order was clear. DOGE extended its relative outperformance while Bitcoin remained inside a tight range. Ethereum and XRP each added similar percentage gains, and SOL posted the second-strongest advance among the five assets.

Weekend discussion on the hold lean

Bark (Christian Barker) and Shibo (David Chaboki) kept the Doginal Dogs Saturday Space focused on the same remarks. The conversation centered on what a pause would mean for risk assets once the next two weeks of inflation data arrive, rather than revisiting the prior day’s payroll figures.

Traders on the timeline noted that the 48.4 percent hike probability left room for both outcomes at the September meeting. A single soft inflation print could push the odds lower, while any upside surprise would reopen the door to a move.

Chart context heading into next week

The weekend candles show limited follow-through after the initial reaction on Thursday. Bitcoin’s small gain left it pinned near recent levels, while altcoin leadership rotated toward DOGE. The pattern suggests participants are waiting for the next batch of data before committing to larger positions.

If August inflation numbers due before the FOMC meeting continue the recent disinflation trend, the probability of a hold could rise further. That scenario would leave the current 3.50-3.75 percent target range intact for at least one additional meeting.

Weekend price action therefore reflects measured positioning rather than aggressive repositioning. The numbers show modest advances across the board, with DOGE separating itself on the upside while the rest of the majors recorded smaller, orderly gains.