Tuesday's Assorted Links
Unemployed college grads, British exports, tariff impacts, continuous workday, and data centers
Hi y’all! Here are five stories from this week that contain some neat applications of economic principles or are related to teaching:
The unemployment rate for recent college grads (aged 22–27) rose to 5.8%, the highest level in nearly four years and ~1.5 times higher than the rate for the general workforce [Sherwood News]
British exports to the US just saw their sharpest one-month drop since records began [Reuters]
New York Times reporters have been tracking several products this spring to see if prices have risen [The New York Times Wirecutter]
Workdays once had a defined beginning and end, but they’re now increasingly stretching on forever [Microsoft]
Globally, data centers use more electricity than the entirety of France’s demand (pop. 68 million) [International Monetary Fund]
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Yes, I spent the weekend binge watching Love Island, but not for the drama. The show is a great chance to explain matching markets, strategic behavior, and game theory. If you’ve ever watched a recoupling ceremony and thought, “This feels like economics,” you’re not wrong.
The Surprising Economics of Love Island
For those already rolling their eyes at the prospect of analyzing reality TV this week, I have a confession: I was a skeptic, too. I didn’t plan to spend my weekend watching Love Island USA.
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