Red flags in US consumer sentiment:

December's Consumer Confidence index took a hit—dropped 3.8 points to 89.1, marking the weakest reading since April. But here's what matters: this is already the fifth straight monthly decline.

Strip out April's anomaly, and we're looking at the lowest level since January 2021. That's serious territory.

When consumer confidence tanks like this, it typically signals weakness rippling through the broader economy. People pull back spending, businesses get cautious with investment, and risk appetite shrinks across asset classes—including crypto markets.

The data speaks volumes about economic headwinds building up. Watch this space closely if you're positioning your portfolio.