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1. US national debt now exceeds GDP
At the end of March, the United States national debt exceeded gross domestic product, reported The Hill. According to Bureau of Economic Analysis data, the national debt reached 100.2% of GDP, which nears the record of 106%, which was recorded following World War II.
“We’ve heard plenty of alarm bells in the past few years about our fiscal path, but this one rings especially loudly,” said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. “The real question is whether or not our leaders in Washington will listen.”
The national debt is up from 99.5% of GDP, which was recorded at the end of fiscal 2025 in September.
2. European bank holds interest rates steady
The European Central Bank maintained its 2% interest rate on Thursday and indicated that the Iran war was affecting "an energy-led rise in euro zone inflation," according to Reuters. Economists expected the decision.
"While the incoming information has been broadly consistent with the Governing Council’s previous assessment of the inflation outlook, the upside risks to inflation and the downside risks to growth have intensified," the ECB said in a news release.
"The longer the war continues and the longer energy prices remain high, the stronger is the likely impact on broader inflation and the economy," the statement continued.
3. Hyatt reports no change in high-end customer demand
Hyatt Hotels Corp. CEO and President Mark Hoplamazian reported positive gains in spite of a "dynamic" first quarter. Hoplamazian acknowledged the "recent events in the Middle East," and noted the "isolated security concerns in Mexico" in February. Hyatt also still has hotel closures due to damage from Hurricane Melissa.
While these events did affect performance for the company, Hoplamazian categorized them as either isolated or under monitoring. Meanwhile, Hyatt's luxury segment remains strong.
"If there's any sign of weakness in terms of the high-end customer, we have not seen it," he said. "Of course, I think we are playing the game differently and also really focused on the clients that we serve and how we go to market. And I think our relative performance is a reflection of that."
4. DHS funding approved ending partial shutdown
President Donald Trump ended the longest agency shutdown in United States history on Thursday when he signed bipartisan legislation to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, but not its immigration enforcement operations, the Associated Press reports.
The legislation was originally submitted by the House Appropriations Committee more than 70 days ago, and DHS has been without routine funds since Feb. 14. The Transportation Security Administration has been greatly affected by the gaps in funding until temporary funding was approved in March. That funding was set to run out in May, per the article.
5. Weekly jobless claims decrease in US
Last week, fewer Americans filed claims for unemployment benefits, indicating some stability in April for unemployment numbers, according to Reuters.
For the week ended April 25, a seasonally adjusted 189,000 joblessness claims were reported by the Labor Department on Thursday, down 26,000 claims. Reuters' forecast was 215,000 claims.
"The labor market has remained in a 'low hire, low fire' mode despite an oil price shock from the Middle East conflict," reads the article. "Still, economists warn of downside risks as shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz raise prices of other commodities, including fertilizers, petrochemicals and aluminum."