AI - A Threat to Higher Education?

A.I. Companies Are Eating Higher Education
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/12/opinion/ai-companies-college-students.html 

On Gender Pay Gap

What drives the wage gap between men and women?
https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/02/11/what-drives-the-wage-gap-between-men-and-women 

Brazil’s Economic Challenges

The rich world should beware Brazilification
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/02/12/the-rich-world-should-beware-brazilification
When governments are indebted, high interest rates wreak havoc.
 
Brazil’s economy is being throttled by entrenched interests
https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2026/02/11/brazils-economy-is-being-throttled-by-entrenched-interests 

A Warning Sign

Americans With Higher Incomes Are Starting to Fall Behind on Payments
https://www.wsj.com/personal-finance/americans-with-higher-incomes-are-starting-to-fall-behind-on-payments-472d3a24
Rising debt levels and more missed payments pushed a financial stress gauge to its highest level ever. 

Expensive Healthcare

Why is US health care still the most expensive in the world after decades of cost-cutting initiatives?
https://theconversation.com/why-is-us-health-care-still-the-most-expensive-in-the-world-after-decades-of-cost-cutting-initiatives-273743 

Too Much Liquidity in the Financial System?

Alphabet’s Rare 100-Year Bond Tells Us That Money Is Easy
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/alphabets-rare-100-year-bond-tells-us-that-money-is-easy-779117ed
This is a great time for companies to borrow. It isn’t obviously a great time to lend to them. 

Revised Data Offers a Reality Check on the US Labor Market

Job Growth Last Year Was Worse Than We Thought. Here’s Why.
https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/job-growth-last-year-was-far-worse-than-we-thought-heres-why-4308db41
 
Job Growth Was Overstated, New Data Shows
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/business/economy/january-jobs-report-revisions.html
Annual revisions show that employers added far fewer jobs in 2024 and 2025 than previously estimated.

BLS Report: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf

Healthcare Propels U.S. to Strongest Job Growth Since Late 2024
https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/january-jobs-report-unemployment-b703b0e3

State of US Labor Market:
https://www.hiringlab.org/2026/02/11/january-2026-jobs-report/
Significant revisions to 2025 data pushed last year's payroll employment down by 403,000 jobs, resulting in the addition of just 181,000 jobs last year.