Tuesday's Assorted Links
Popular shades, young workers, female pop stars, tariff costs, and global AI use
Hi y’all! Here are five stories from this week that contained some neat applications of economic principles or are related to teaching:
Sunglasses maker has trouble keeping up with demand after the French president wore a pair at the World Economic Forum [The Guardian]
Over the past three years, the share of workers aged 25 and under has shrunk from 14.9% to 8.8% [Washington Post | Archive].
Female pop stars are lambasting mediocre men, a reflection of the growing gulf between young men and women [The Economist | Archive]
New research analyzing $4 trillion of shipments finds that American buyers absorbed 96% of the cost from last year’s US tariff increases [Kiel Institute]
Americans use artificial intelligence less than the rest of the world [Axios]
A 10% credit card rate sounds like an obvious win, especially when debt feels overwhelming. But interest rates do more than raise monthly bills. They also signal risk and determine who gets access to credit in the first place. This week’s article explains why a popular fix could leave some borrowers worse off.
A 10% Credit Card Rate Sounds Great. Here’s the Catch.
The average credit card interest rate is currently around 19.62%, down from a record high of 20.79% set in August 2024. If you regularly carry a balance, a 10% interest rate probably sounds like a gift. Prices are up. Budgets are tight. For many households,
Are you an educator looking for ways to introduce this week’s newsletter into your classroom? Sign up for the Classroom Edition of Monday Morning Economist to get assessments and lesson plans delivered straight to your inbox every week.
"New research analyzing $4 trillion of shipments finds that American buyers absorbed 96% of the cost from last year’s US tariff increases"
No, no, that can't be right. I have it on good authority that tariffs will be paid by foreign countries.