Sentiment on the economy took a sharp turn south last December. American households are increasingly on edge, caught between two converging headwinds: stubbornly high prices that keep eating into purchasing power, and the looming shadow of sweeping tariff announcements that threaten to push inflation higher still. Consumer confidence metrics reflected this anxiety, marking a noticeable dip as households reassess their financial outlook. The combination of persistent price pressures and trade policy uncertainty has left many wondering what 2025 will bring. For crypto markets, macro conditions like these matter—they influence risk appetite, capital flow patterns, and how retail investors position themselves during periods of economic uncertainty.