Fed Chair Warsh’s First FOMC Meeting
All eyes were on yesterday’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, Kevin Warsh’s first meeting as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. In a unanimous decision, the Committee voted to hold the funds rate steady in the current range of 3.5%-3.75%. Nine of 18 members projected a rate hike this year, in what is being read as a tilt towards fears of more inflation rather than slower economic growth. The projections pushed traders to fully price in one quarter-point rate hike by the end of the year.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Wage Growth Continues
Wage growth remains above the 2.9% Core Consumer Price Index (CPI ex food and energy) but continues to be below overall, or headline, 4.2% CPI for May, the fastest pace since April 2023. Both figures were up month over month by 0.2% and 0.5%, respectively.
Source: US Department of the Treasury
Growing Student Debt
As of December 2025, roughly 43 million Americans held a cumulative $1.7T in federal student debt—a sum equal to the 12th largest economy in the world. Factor in private loans, and the total rises to $1.8T. The average borrower with student debt owed around $39K and had estimated payments of $394 per month as of March 2026. Average annual tuition now ranges from around $10K for an in-state public university to more than $70K for a private institution. Those figures have tripled since 1970, accounting for inflation.
Source: 1440 Business & Finance
The Rule of 55
The Rule of 55 allows individuals to take penalty-free withdrawals from their 401(k) plan if they leave their job during or after the year they turn 55. This rule allows those who need access to their retirement funds before age 59½ to avoid the typical early withdrawal penalty, although regular income taxes still apply. One key factor is that the retirement must remain associated with your most recent employer and not be converted into a Rollover IRA.
Source: New York Times
World Cup Flight Strategy
All major airlines took steps to handle travel demands from World Cup Soccer fans from around the world. One airline has an analyst specifically tasked with watching major sporting and entertainment events to determine potential gate constraints. Right now, they are immersed in watching World Cup Soccer games and trying to deal with flight demand spanning Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. Once the schedule was set, the airline added more than 28,000 domestic seats and over 30,000 total, including long-haul international flights based on an analysis of fan behavior during the last World Cup.
Source: Wall Street Journal
70 Years of Coke and McDonalds
The 70-year relationship between McDonald’s and Coca-Cola began in 1955 with a handshake between Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s, and a Coca-Cola executive who saw him spraying down the parking lot of an early location in Des Plaines, IL. Since then, the combination of a Big Mac and a Coke has been described as “complementary goods”. McDonald’s efforts to add creativity to their drink lineup have largely failed, including their Coke Monster lineup. They pivoted to a tie-up with Red Bull, its first shift away from a single supplier. After positive market testing, are rolling out nationwide with such options from Red Bull as Peach Boost Energizer and Dragonberry Energizer.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Most Viewers in Almost 30 Years
The Knicks NBA Finals game 5 final win over the Spurs drew 24.5 million viewers across ABC and ESPN. The viewer count peaked at 33 million late in the telecast as the Knicks staged a comeback for a 94-90 victory. That is the most-watched NBA Finals game five since 1998, when Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz. That series ultimately went to game six, with the Bulls coming out on top.
Source: Bloomberg
