December's U.S. industrial production data came in stronger than anticipated. The month-over-month reading hit 0.4%, crushing both the previous month's 0.2% and analyst expectations of just 0.1% growth.

This beat is notable—it signals resilience in American manufacturing amid ongoing economic discussions. For crypto traders watching macro signals, stronger industrial metrics often precede shifts in Fed policy and capital allocation decisions. When the real economy shows unexpected strength, it typically influences how risk assets like cryptocurrencies respond in the weeks ahead.