Job cuts are piling up fast this year. We're talking 1.1 million announced layoffs so far — the worst we've seen since 2020 when the pandemic hit.

That's a serious number. Companies across tech, finance, and traditional industries are tightening belts. When the job market tanks like this, risk appetite usually follows. People get nervous, spending drops, and that ripple effect? It hits everything from stocks to crypto.

What's wild is how quickly sentiment can shift. One quarter you're hiring aggressively, the next you're cutting headcount to survive. This kind of economic pressure tends to push investors toward safer plays — or at least makes them think twice before aping into volatile assets.

Keep an eye on these employment trends. They're not just numbers on a chart. They're early signals of where consumer confidence and market liquidity might be headed next.