Uh-Oh SpaghettiOs – The S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq Composite Index both had their worst quarters since 2022 to start the year; the S&P 500 Index lost 4.6%, while the Nasdaq lost 10% in the first three months of 2025. On the other hand, Germany's DAX Index gained 11%, its strongest quarter since 2023. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Let the good times roll – Bets on US economic weakness are boosting the allure of emerging markets, a long-suffering asset class. Expectations that US tariff policies could hinder growth and prompt traders to seek opportunities abroad led the MSCI Emerging Markets Index to its second-best first quarter since 2019. (Source: Morningstar as of 3/31/25 and Yahoo) 

Came in like the Kool-Aid man – After it raised $40 billion from Softbank in Japan, Open AI, the company behind ChatGPT, is valued at $300 billion. The company’s meteoric rise puts its valuation ahead of oil giant Chevron, which has a market cap of $293 billion. (Source: MarketWatch)

All that glitters is … copper? – Copper prices in the US surged ahead of those in the rest of the world, hitting a record high of $5.22 on 3/26, on mere threats of tariffs potentially lifting costs for domestic manufacturers. Benchmark US copper futures ended the quarter up 26% this year, compared to a gain of 11% on the London Metal Exchange. (Source: FactSet as of 4/2/25 and The Wall Street Journal)

That’s a problem for future me – Popular "buy now, pay later" lender Affirm will start reporting installment purchases to Experian, with other short-term lenders likely to follow. These reports won't affect credit scores immediately, as scoring models haven't been updated to include them. Credit bureaus anticipate that adding these short-term lenders will impact most credit scores by less than 10 points. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Oh goody – If proposed tariffs take effect, the average US tariff rate could reach 20% in 2025, similar to heavy import duties the nation imposed in the 1930s. Lower-earning households may see a 4% drop in disposable income, while higher earners might see a 1.6% decrease. (Source: MSN and USA Today)

It’s got “bad” right there in the name – New research suggests that lowering your bad cholesterol levels could reduce your future risk of dementia by 26%, and taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs can further decrease that risk. About 7% of dementia cases have been tied to high levels of bad cholesterol in midlife. (Source: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, & Psychiatry)

Neither old nor faithful – A new thermal vent has appeared at Yellowstone National Park, just in time for tourists to return as the park opens to car traffic this month. New geological sights aren't rare in the park, but this one is unusual in that it's unusually visible for visitors. Geologists say the new vent isn't a sign of potential volcanic eruptions (whew). (Source: AP News)

This guy definitely skips leg day – American Truett Hanes just reclaimed his Guinness World Record for the most pull-ups in 24 hours (10,001). He'd previously set a record in 2023 with 8,100 pull-ups, only to have it replaced the very next day by an Australian who completed 8,600 pull-ups that day. (Source: Guinness World Records)

Basketball’s big bet – Gambling (online and in person) is more widely accessible in the US than ever, with commercial gaming revenue profit coming in at more than $70 billion in 2024. Americans are expected to have wagered approximately $3.1 billion in legal bets on the NCAA March Madness tournament this year, surpassing the $1.39 billion bet on the 2025 Super Bowl. (Source: NPR)