One moody month – April is poised to be the most volatile calendar month since the COVID-19 crash in 2020. The trade-war whiplash has caused the S&P 500 Index to fluctuate by at least 1% in 10 of the first 17 trading days this month. (Source: The Wall Street Journal and Morningstar as of 4/23/25)

Little trim here, little trim there – The European Central Bank cut interest rates for the seventh time in the past year, cautioning that economic growth could be impacted by US tariffs. While tariffs still remain in limbo, the euro has strengthened by 9% against the US dollar and is trading at an all-time high on a trade-weighted basis. (Source: Reuters)

Actually, don’t charge it – Recent earnings reports indicate that major credit-card companies are preparing for a potential economic downturn, evidenced by rising delinquencies. JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup are bolstering their rainy-day funds, Synchrony is tightening lending standards, and US Bancorp is targeting more affluent customers to better weather the storm. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Solid bunnies? How bougie of you – Cocoa prices have tripled since 2023 due to limited suppliers and several years of smaller crops due to disease. In addition, the price of gold has risen so much that illegal gold mining in Ghana, one of the two main cocoa suppliers, has led to the destruction of cocoa farms, further reducing supply and contaminating water supplies for remaining farms. (Source: Barron’s)

Putting lipstick on a pig – Home Depot's gardening sales now surpass lumber, paint, and appliances. With high interest rates and housing prices limiting remodeling projects, gardening has become a bright spot, generating $20 billion annually—more than Hermès earns from luxury goods each year. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Guess it’s time to watch National Treasure again – According to Circana, which tracks approximately 85% of the trade print books sold in the US, editions of the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the US Constitution are selling at their fastest pace since they began compiling numbers in 2004. Through mid-April, sales have increased by 179% compared to the same period in 2024, and by 391% compared to 2023. (Source: NBC News)

Reaper's repo – Americans are more scared of going broke in retirement than they are of dying. Faced with inflation, taxes, and concerns over the size of Social Security benefits, 70% of Gen Xers are more concerned about money, while 61% of boomers feel the same. (Source: CBS News)

Your robot overlords find your lack of etiquette disturbing – Only 67% of Americans are polite when interacting with AI. While manners are ingrained in most, 12% fear offending AI and becoming the first targets of a robot uprising. Though OpenAI admits that extra “pleases” and “thank yous” have cost the company millions of dollars, being polite can help generate more helpful, collaborative outputs while mirroring your tone (and because, well, you never know). (Source: Tech Radar and Futurism)

I might as well have been voting – In order to cast a final-round vote in the Oscars race, Academy members are now required to actually watch each film nominated in a category. Previously, members have been encouraged, but not required, to watch all the nominated films and performances. Now, the Academy will monitor viewing activity through a members-only Academy Screening Room streaming platform and submitted forms. (Source: Variety)

So popular it needs a drafterparty – Networks are vying for the rights to air the NFL draft in 2026 and beyond. What used to be a closed-door event has been something of an off-season spectacle: The 2024 draft drew in more than 53 million viewers in 2024, the highest since 2021. The draft is currently jointly aired by ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network, but Fox, ABC, ESPN, YouTube, and Amazon Prime are allegedly bidding for future years. (Source: SportsPro)