Instead, bitcoin did the reverse on Thursday, recovering from an early stumble to regain its now familiar perch over $19,000. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, which was recently up more than 2% and trading above $19,600, has been occupying a narrow band between $19,000 and $21,000 for much of the past month, hamstrung by concerns about untamable inflation and the rising prospect of a harsh recession.
