The U.S. job market is sending confusing messages right now. On the surface, unemployment sits near historic lows, which sounds positive. But dig deeper and you'll find a different story: companies are becoming cautious about hiring, and layoffs are actually picking up. This disconnect matters—when corporate appetite for expansion fades while cutting costs intensifies, it often signals underlying economic stress. Market sentiment reflects this hesitation too, with overall confidence in the economy continuing to soften. For crypto traders watching macro trends, this kind of economic turbulence typically reshapes asset flows and risk appetite. The divergence between headline unemployment and hiring freezes is worth monitoring closely.