Friday, April 10, 2026

High-Income Households and US Consumption

The K-Shaped Economy's Defining Statistic Has Some Problems
https://www.fa-mag.com/news/the-k-shaped-economy-s-defining-statistic-has-some-problems-86570.html
 
More Americans Are Breaking into the Upper Middle Class
https://www.wsj.com/economy/more-americans-are-breaking-into-the-upper-middle-class-bf8b7cb2
 
First-Class Seats Drive Airline Profits. It Wasn’t Always This Way.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/10/business/airlines-first-class-seats-tickets-upgrades.html
Airlines used to give away most of their nicest seats, but they have increasingly found ways to persuade people to pay a lot for them. 

First-class airline bet is economically well-timed
https://www.reuters.com/commentary/breakingviews/first-class-airline-bet-is-economically-well-timed-2026-04-02/
It’s also possible that sustained high oil prices could ​hit equity markets hard, leading to a negative “wealth effect” that dents animal spirits and therefore travel ​among the world’s richest ⁠fliers. Still, markets are not quite there yet. And higher fuel costs necessarily call for higher fares. Leaning on those better able to afford it simply makes financial sense.