Bitcoin (BTC) is experiencing a surge in long positions among traders, despite weak macroeconomic data from the United States. On Thursday, Bitcoin approached $78,000 but could not maintain its momentum due to disappointing forecasts from major retailers like Walmart, which saw a 7% drop in shares after issuing weak guidance for 2027. This reflects financial distress among low-income consumers, as highlighted by Walmart's CFO. The long-to-short ratio among top traders has risen, indicating confidence in the $76,000 support level, especially at Binance where it has favored longs for three days. However, the overall economic outlook remains concerning, with rising oil prices and fears of interest rate hikes influencing market sentiment. The probability of a rate hike by September 2026 has jumped to 37%, a stark contrast to the previous month's expectations. Additionally, Bitcoin's price at Coinbase is trading at a 0.10% discount compared to other exchanges, signaling weak institutional demand amidst $2.07 billion in net outflows from US-listed Bitcoin ETFs since May. While the current funding rate for Bitcoin perpetual futures is neutral at 7%, the potential for a sustained rally to $82,000 appears low in the near term.