100,000: US President Donald Trump’s 25% steel and aluminum tariffs, in place since March 12, have triggered hundreds of layoffs in Canada in the metal workers sector, with more expected to come. Marty Warren, national director of the United Steelworkers, says that 100,000 jobs are at risk for the union’s 225,000 members after “full-blown” tariffs hit on April 2.
92.9: The Conference Board’s US consumer confidence index fell 7.2 points in March to 92.9, short of its expected reading of 94.5 and its lowest level since January of 2021. Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business, and employment also plunged 9.6 points to 65.2, the lowest reading in 12 years and well below the threshold of 80, considered an indicator of a possible recession.
1,000: Police in Washington, DC, are offering a $1,000 reward for information about the recent defacing of Tesla vehicles in the city. A police statement also indicated that they are “investigating these offenses as potentially being motivated by hate or bias,” which is a broader category in DC than in most cities: “Political affiliation” is listed alongside race, sex, and religion as categories of bias for hate crimes and carries higher penalties than other crimes.Americans are moving less — and renting more. Cooling migration and rising vacancy rates, especially across the Sunbelt, have flattened rent growth and given renters new leverage. For many lower-income households, that relief is beginning to show up in discretionary spending. Explore what's changing in US housing by subscribing to Bank of America Institute.
1,170: The number of high-rise buildings in Kyiv that were left without heating following a barrage of Russian attacks last night on Ukraine’s capital and its energy facilities, per Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
Over the past five years, Haiti has endured extreme political turmoil, escalating violence, and one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Microsoft unveiled a new set of commitments guiding its community‑first approach to AI infrastructure development. The strategy focuses on energy affordability, water efficiency, job creation, local investment, and AI‑driven skilling. As demand for digital infrastructure accelerates, the company is pushing a new model for responsible datacenter growth — one built on sustainability, economic mobility, and long‑term partnership with the communities that host it. The move signals how AI infrastructure is reshaping local economies and what people expect from the tech shaping their future. Read the full blog here.