Monday Market Scaries?

What's Happening

Economy

Monday Market Scaries?

What's going on: If checking the markets feels more fraught than your Monday inbox… you’re not alone. After more than $5 trillion in US stock market losses last week following President Donald Trump’s tariffs, investors are bracing for more volatility (with Dow futures down more than 1,500 points). The most punitive tariffs kick in this week, and global markets are still plunging, posting losses not seen since the early pandemic plunge. The Trump admin says this is all part of the plan: a strategy to re-industrialize America, rebalance “unfair” trade, and pressure other countries into better deals. Officials also floated the idea that tariff revenue could help offset tax cuts (economists were quick to flag that as shaky logic). Still, the White House claims early wins — saying more than 50 countries have reached out to negotiate new trade terms.

What it means: The administration’s message to Americans? Hang tight — it’ll pay off eventually. Over the weekend, Trump doubled down on his strategy, calling the tariffs a long game and “a beautiful thing to behold.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hit the media circuit to brush off recession worries, saying Americans nearing retirement aren’t worried because they “don’t look at the day-to-day fluctuations” (though some may beg to differ). He added the admin is “building the long-term economic fundamentals for prosperity.” But that’s a tough sell for Americans watching their 401(k)s wobble and wondering whether to stock up, sell off, or just wait it out. One key: Experts say panic-buying (or selling) is rarely the answer.

Related: Harriet Tubman and Slavery Scrubbed From Govt. Underground Railroad Page (WaPo Gift Link)

US News

RFK Jr. Visits Texas After Second Measles Death

What's going on: The growing measles outbreak in West Texas has claimed the life of another child. According to The New York Times, an unvaccinated 8-year-old girl with no underlying health issues died last week from “measles pulmonary failure.” It’s the second confirmed measles death in the US in the past decade — the first being another unvaccinated child who died in February. Doctors warn the outbreak in the Lone Star State, which has infected nearly 570 people and is spreading to neighboring states and Mexico, could last up to a year. Hospitalizations, especially among young children, are expected to rise. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traveled to Gaines County, Texas, yesterday to attend the 8-year-old’s funeral. In a post on X, he said CDC teams have been redeployed to Texas and called the MMR vaccine “the most effective way to prevent measles” — despite previously questioning its safety.

What it means: In just the first four months of 2025, the US has already reported twice as many measles cases as in all of 2024. RFK Jr. — a long-time vaccine skeptic — is facing criticism for the outbreak. He’s also promoted alternative “treatments” like cod liver oil and vitamin A, the latter of which Texas doctors say led to cases of vitamin toxicity. Meanwhile, as the White House pushes RFK Jr. to take more ownership of the Department of Health and Human Services, it also continues to cut public health funding (including to the department in charge of coordinating the measles response). If the outbreak in Texas continues at its current pace, experts warn the US could lose its measles elimination status.

Related: The HHS Cuts Are Also Impacting These Safety Hotlines (Axios)

Lifestyle

More People Are Saying "I Do" to Themselves

What's going on: From the B4 movement to this meme, more people (particularly heterosexual women) are choosing to stay single. A 2024 Pew Research study found only 34% of single women are seeking a relationship, compared to 54% of single men. Another survey found that more than half of single women believe they’re happier than their married counterparts. That gap is fueled by a mix of factors: widening divides in education, politics, and priorities — plus the simple beauty that is not sharing a bathroom. For many, focusing on friendships, careers, and personal peace is far more appealing than the stress of dating or marriage. As one expert noted: “They would rather be alone than with a man who holds them back.”

Tell me more: Beyond the obvious cultural shifts, there’s also less social pressure to couple up these days (Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” walked so “boy sober” could run). Other women told The Wall Street Journal they’re staying single partly out of practical concerns — like avoiding pregnancy in states with abortion bans, or not wanting to do all the housework while splitting the mess. While this isn’t exactly a new trend (anyone surprised by this has not seen Sex and the City), what’s shifted is how many women are actively choosing it — not settling for singlehood, but embracing it. Many are building their own version of the American dream: buying homes solo and having kids on their own.

Related: Meanwhile, Other Women Are "Marrying Down"  (The Atlantic)

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Which state has the most expensive coffee, according to a new study?

Extra Credit

Read

Let’s get this out of the way: Yes, Kristen Arnett’s new novel is about a clown — but not the scary, nightmare-inducing kind. Instead, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One follows Cherry Hendricks, a part-time aquarium-store employee who dreams of working full-time as her clown alter ego, Bunko. The problem(s)? In addition to being broke, Cherry’s grappling with complicated family dynamics, a messy love life (she has a thing for “sleeping with people’s moms”), and the unexpected loss of her brother. But everything seems to change when she meets and falls for Margot the Magnificent — a successful, older magician — in this “wild, luxurious, and absurd” story.