To answer this question one simply has to look at the bitcoin chart from 2015, 2016 and 2017 and focus in on the first part of it.  Same thing happens each year.  The Chinese start buying gifts and booking vacations for Chinese New Year up to 6 weeks before the actual holiday which is 2/16/18.  To add to this typical trend we have FUD coming from right and left as a way to diminish the technology. Technical analysis is your friend.