How is AI Changing the Post-College Path

 A recent article released by CNBC highlights an increasing shift with undergraduate students looking towards graduate schools. Even though the labor market is stable on the surface, many students are feeling uncertain about their long-term careers. Unlike past trends where recessions trigger students to “hide out” in graduate school due to scarce job opportunities, this shift is being driven by artificial intelligence. With AI’s growing ability to automate entry-level jobs, specifically in business, tech, and administration roles, students are looking to continue their education as a form of protection. Graduate school is no longer about advancing your education and is more as a strategy to stay competitive and to delay joining a job market that feels unstable.

Debt is also a major factor in their decision. Graduate students usually take on significantly more loans than undergraduates, and with current changes to the federal student loan policies, it could impact access to professional degrees. These financial uncertainties are making students think more strategically about whether continuing their education really makes sense. 

The traditional path of stepping into an entry-level job after graduating college is being less reliable with this AI boom. In a world where technology is changing rapidly, students are looking for jobs that are protected from AI advances.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/18/ai-fears-graduate-school.html

USDA Reorganization Raises Economic Questions About Efficiency and Research

As part of a broad initiative to increase efficiency and decrease costs, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun a process of major restructuring within its Research, Education, and Economics (REE) department. In addition to removing staff from their offices in Washington, D.C., the program also seeks to streamline research activities so that they will be more aligned with the needs of agriculture.

The restructuration can be viewed as an attempt to achieve greater economic efficiency on two fronts. First, by reducing costs and streamlining operations, the government can spend less money. Second, it will help to make sure that agricultural policy is well informed and appropriately focused.

It should be noted that this approach might cause a decline in quality when cutting back and reorganizing research programs. The quality deterioration might harm farmers that use data from the department when making decisions and can result in lower productivity and instability of the market.

In conclusion, the efficiency of the program will be determined by how much the benefits will outweigh the risks associated with measures.

Trump to host bash for crypto investors tied to his coin sales

        U.S. President Donald Trump is slated to host cryptocurrency investors at his Mar-a-Lago property on the 25th of April. The crux of the ‘bash’ as it has been dubbed is to highlight Trump’s memecoin $Trump, which was launched days before the President took office. The event, hosted by Trump-backed Fight Fight Fight LLC, is set to host 297 of the world’s biggest crypto buyers, with 29 of the highest buyers getting access to an exclusive reception with President Trump. 

    The event has drawn significant criticism from many Democrats and ethicists, stating that the President is using his influence in office to enrich himself through his memecoin. Ethicists are concerned that the President is using this to peddle influence on cryptocurrency policy and enrich himself, rather than acting as a neutral party on certain policy. Law professor and former Bush ethics advisor Richard Painter believes that the actions of the President are akin to the original understanding of bribery, even if the actual U.S. legal code is not broken. 

    Economically, events such as the bash at Mar-a-Lago may have wide spreading consequences across crypto markets. President Trump has already been a very pro-crypto president, which can create an economic bubble in a non-productive sector, which has the capability to burst and cause enormous financial losses across the country. Additionally, memecoins are a very volatile market, without ties to any real backed assets. This can again lead to an economic bubble and eventual crash in cryptocurrency markets, causing millions, if not billions, of dollars in losses across the market. It will be interesting to see how the crypto market, and the economy as a whole, behaves with the actions of President Trump acting as a beneficiary of his own crypto policies. 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/23/trump-crypto-memecoin-event-mar-a-lago

European stocks lower as U.S.-Iran ceasefire deadline looms

 As the U.S and Iran ceasefire is reaching it's deadline, many notable European stocks are decreasing in price and European markets are lowering their expectations. Notable companies on the London Stock Exchange are significantly down compared a year ago. Associated British Foods is down 18% in profits and 2% in revenue compared to a year ago. Of course this isn't from the conflict but it has certainly had a impact on ABF's operations. On top of the conflict affecting European companies, it has affected unemployment as well. The United Kingdom surprisingly reported unemployment at 4.9% in February, when it was forecasted to be ~5.2%.

This article shows how international conflict can effect countries not involved by disrupting global supply chains, and energy supply. The conflict has triggered some economic instability in Europe and their businesses are being heavily affected. Oil and natural gas prices have increased which has spiked operational costs. With the uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz, investors are scared of European companies not receiving the energy for operations and pulling out their investments.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/21/european-markets-stoxx-600-ftse-dax-cac-iran-latest-oil-prices.html

USA Rare Earth buys rare eath metals from South American country

 USA Rare Earth announced a $2.8 billion deal to buy the Brazilian mining company, Serra Verde. The payment will include both cash and stock, and the company expects the deal to be finalized by the third quarter of 2026 if it gets the required approvals. This move is mainly about reducing reliance on China, which currently controls most of the global supply and refining of rare earth elements. These materials are extremely important because they are used in things like electric vehicles, smartphones, and even military equipment, making them a big part of global competition.

By acquiring Serra Verde, USA Rare Earth would gain access to important elements like neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium, which are all needed to make high performance magnets. The deal also includes a long term agreement supported by U.S. government related groups, showing how serious the issue is for national security. Experts say rare earths are becoming more important as countries try to secure energy and technology advantages, especially as demand increases with the shift toward clean energy.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/20/usa-rare-earth-serra-verde-minerals-china.html 

Here are all the ways the Iran war has affected the U.S. economy so far

     Th conflict that has been occurring in Iran has been affecting the US economy mostly by driving up the oil and gas prices. This is causing higher inflation especially with gas prices making everyday lives mire expensive. The overall economy hasn't taken a massive hit but if conflict continues to happen it could get worse. If these prices continue to go up PPI with increase which then will most likely increase CPI with will be bad for all of us. The FED Reserve is watching this conflict closely and if inflation stays high, it might delay cutting intrest rates which is going to make borrowing cost for things like homes and loans higher. Overall our economy is still staying pretty calm but If tension continues or gets worse we could have some serious problems coming in the near future. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/15/here-are-all-the-ways-the-iran-war-has-affected-the-us-economy-so-far.html

Fed Chair Nomination Becomes a Macro Event: Why Markets Care About Independence

The economic decisions front is not a data print; it is leadership and independence at the Fed. Kevin Warsh, nominated by President Trump for the Fed Chair, finds himself in the middle of a Senate confirmation process that is already impacting investor expectations for monetary policy. On an operational note, when there is fear of Fed Chairman appointment being political, inflation expectations will increase, rates and yields can rise, even without Fed hikes, as bond markets price that possibility.

It is important because the Fed’s mandate has both a technical and a credibility aspect. Weakening of the latter can be reflected in terms of higher funding costs, stronger US currency and greater volatility in stock and credit markets. This creates problems for the central bank’s reaction function – pre-emptive cuts can lead to a resurgence of inflation expectations, whereas overly restrictive policy creates risks of a recession. A politically contentious confirmation process adds to uncertainty when the economy is exposed to energy and supply side factors.

1) https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/fed-chief-nominee-warsh-pledges-new-divestment-updated-financial-filing-2026-04-20/

2) https://nypost.com/2026/04/20/business/fed-nominee-kevin-warsh-to-face-senate-grilling-over-independence-interest-rates/

Russia choosing war over welfare for how much longer

A rural town in northern Russia called Nikolsk is facing unprecedented cuts to its education system, with a decision to end upper-grade classes currently in the works. This reflects a broader, devastating trend: since 2000, Russia has lost almost 24,000 schools. As these schools close, the small settlements fighting to stay alive often disappear right along with them. Instead of supporting these communities, government officials have redirected spending toward their ongoing, so-called "special military operation" in Ukraine. This lack of support is especially frustrating for Nikolsk. The town has a couple of surviving businesses, including farms and a dairy plant, and has actually seen its population grow slightly, by about 100 residents, over the past 15 years. With even more development planned outside of town, government support for local schools is absolutely imperative for the survival of Russia's rural communities. Compounding the issue is a recent policy shift. Just last year, the Kremlin removed local self-governance, stripping villages of the ability to pass proposals that matter to their own residents. Moscow seems to be on a power trip, refusing to take any suggestions from locals even when holding town hall meetings. However, since April 9th, there have been hearings to challenge this decision.

Will Russia really continue to pull funding from its own schools just to fuel its ongoing conflict in Ukraine? Or are these local pressures the tipping point of the financial hardships Moscow is currently facing?

As Russia looks to slash budgets, a village fights to survive

Businesses can claim refunds for Trump tariffs ruled unconstitutional starting Monday

 Businesses can start claiming refunds on Monday for tariffs imposed by Donald Trump that were later ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The refund process, managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, will roll out in phases and may take 60–90 days per claim, with potential delays due to technical and procedural issues.

Importers must submit detailed documentation, and not all tariffs qualify immediately. While businesses will receive the refunds, they are not required to pass the savings on to consumers, though some companies, like FedEx, say they plan to reimburse customers. Overall, the process is complex, requires accuracy, and may take time to fully deliver financial relief.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/19/trump-tariffs-business-refunds.html 

Iran War, Effects on China

 China’s economy continued to grow at around 5% GDP, even during the U.S.–Israel–Iran war. However, the war has had only a limited impact on China so far, rather than being a major reason for its growth. Instead, China’s recent economic growth has been driven largely by strong manufacturing and exports.

It is interesting to consider how China’s growth model differs from those of other countries. While China has a very large population and many rural areas, which can affect productivity, the more important issue right now is weak domestic consumption. Consumer spending has slowed, creating an imbalance in the economy as growth relies more on exports than internal demand.

The global situation has still created challenges. Economic uncertainty and inflation in many countries have slowed consumer spending worldwide, which can eventually affect China’s export demand. In addition, investment has been weaker, particularly in the property sector, which has been struggling for a longer period of time and continues to drag on economic growth.

Although global tensions can disrupt energy markets and business activity, these effects have not been the main drivers of China’s current economic performance. Instead, the key concern is whether China can sustain growth as its population declines and consumption remains weak, since these two factors are closely connected and important for long-term stability.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gxjpekk19o