Resilient Job Market
Initial jobless claims fell by 8,000 to 205,000 for the week ended March 14, coming in well below the consensus estimate of 214,000, a sign the job market remains resilient. Analysts describe the current environment as “slow hiring, slow firing”, a setup that often supports steady consumer spending even as hiring normalizes.
Source: Yahoo Finance, US Department of Labor
Wage Growth Beating Inflation
The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Wage Growth Tracker edged up to 3.7% in February from 3.6% in January. The February inflation data showed a year-over-year increase of only 2.4%. While most economists expect inflation to rise in the coming months, the strong wage growth is another indicator that supports steady consumer spending.
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta
Hybrid Aircrafts
The French company, AURA AERO, earlier this month, announced its first firm orders for its ERA hybrid-electric airliner from a French operator. The 19-seater regional airliner has a range of up to 900 miles and claims the hybrid propulsion system will be able to reduce carbon emissions by 80%. They have announced letters of intent from 16 different air operators for over 700 ERA planes.
Source: Aerospace Global News
Summer of New Routes
Europe might want to brace for another surge in American visitors this summer, as major US carriers roll out a wave of new non-stop flights, landing travelers straight from cities like Seattle, New York, and Philadelphia onto Mediterranean beaches, UNESCO-listed sites, and major cultural hubs. Travelers will “gain a day” and avoid long layovers in already congested European hubs thanks to these routes, which have average flight times of just 7 to 9 hours, apart from the Miami to Milan service.
Source: Forbes, Travel Tomorrow
Instant Power
Scientists in Australia have demonstrated a prototype quantum battery that could revolutionize energy storage. By harnessing quantum effects, it can absorb energy in a rapid “super absorption” event, enabling much faster charging than conventional batteries. Even more surprisingly, the system becomes more efficient as it scales up.
Source: Science Daily
Good News For Coffee & Tea Lovers
After documenting the consumption of tea and coffee by 131,821 healthcare professionals for up to a staggering 43 years, the resulting data seems to support what many other studies have found: that coffee is associated with better neurological health. The strongest effects were seen in participants who drank 2-3 cups of caffeinated coffee or 1-2 cups of tea per day. Exceeding this range didn’t seem to extend the benefits any further, but also didn’t register as a detriment to health.
Source: JAMA Network
“Feast OF Flowers”
On March 27, 1513, Ponce de León sighted the coast of Florida. Since it was Easter season, known in Spanish as Pascua Florida (Feast of Flowers), he saw a lush, floral landscape and decided to name it “La Florida”. His 1513 arrival marked the beginning of documented European history in what is now the continental United States—roughly 107 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.
Source: History.com
