GDP Bounce Back
Following a dismal 0.5% GDP growth in Q4 2025, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported this week a 2% gain in Q1 2026 GDP. The bounce back is largely attributed to the recovery following the 43-day government shutdown.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis
MD-11s Back in Business
FedEx is preparing to bring its MD-11 cargo jets back into service in May following a roughly six-month grounding that cost the parcel carrier hundreds of millions of dollars. According to an internal memo distributed to its workforce, FedEx said that Boeing has tested and produced a new bearing for a component of the aging jet. While U.S. regulatory approval is still pending, FedEx said the proposed fix has already been validated on its end.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Airbus Sticking by Plane Delivery Goal
The Pratt & Whitney engine shortage has not deterred Airbus’ delivery goals for the year. They said they remain on track to deliver about 870 planes this year, compared with 793 in 2025. They delivered 114 planes in the first three months of this year, leaving them with the challenge of delivering 756 more in the next 9 months. The company feels confident they can get enough components to assemble and dispatch planes despite the engine shortage.
Source: Wall Street Journal
College Career Coaching Booming
Parents are scrambling to hire career coaches for their children graduating from college. The appeal is simple: entry-level job competition has intensified to the point that parents see coaching as insurance for their $65,000-per-year college investment. Prices range from a few hundred dollars an hour to $50,000 for intensive programs, according to Bloomberg.
Source: Bloomberg
Influencer Diplomacy
Governments are increasingly turning to influencers who have a million or more followers to reach younger people with more authentic and engaging information. Influencer platforms such as TikTok and YouTube reward and amplify human content better than diplomats from government embassies. Example: Carlos Engracia, a Spanish influencer, has over 4.6 million followers and was flown to Delhi by the Indian Government last year to show Spanish-speakers “the real India”.
Source: International Intrigue
The Revival OF Paper & Pencil
A RAND poll shows that students at all grade levels who reported regularly using A.I. for homework have surged to 62%, even as two-thirds of students said the technology harmed critical-thinking skills. A third of the students reported using A.I. to draft or revise writing. Teachers are fighting back by eliminating take-home assignments and returning to in-class handwriting assignments. The downside is that today’s teenagers have little experience using pens and pencils, with some teachers calling their skills atrocious. Still, teachers say they are willing to deal with it, knowing that the work is more authentic.
Source: RAND Corporation, New York Times
Origin of May Day
May 1st, or May Day, is a global commemoration of the labor movement and an ancient celebration of nature. The 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago was when workers went on strike to demand an eight-hour workday. It’s an official public holiday in over 80 countries, though the U.S. and Canada celebrate Labor Day in September. In ancient times, May 1st marked the “midpoint” between the spring equinox and the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.
Source: Britannica
