Market sentiment has been shifting pretty significantly. Industry professionals are picking up on a clear trend—consumers are sending strong signals that their confidence in the economic outlook has taken a real hit since the start of the year. It's not just talk; you can see it reflected in spending patterns and investment behavior. When consumer sentiment weakens like this, it typically ripples across different asset classes, including crypto markets. This kind of broader economic pessimism often drives investors to reassess their portfolio allocation strategies.