Investors Lose Patience with Iran War & TSA Workers Finally Get Paid

·29 min·2 clips

The stock market is experiencing its worst month in years as the Iran war disrupts global energy supplies.

The episode opens with a lighthearted story about 12 tons of Kit Kat chocolate bars stolen in Italy, but quickly shifts to serious economic news. The stock market is on pace for its worst month in years, with the Dow falling nearly 800 points on Friday, due to the Iran war. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused the largest energy supply disruption in history, taking almost 20% of oil and natural gas off the market. This has led to rising oil prices, with Brent crude above $112 a barrel, which negatively correlates with stock market performance. Tech stocks like Meta and Microsoft have plunged, and even Berkshire Hathaway is on a long losing streak. The economic fallout includes potential Fed rate hikes to combat inflation and rising mortgage rates. High gas prices are hurting low-income consumers, while stock losses affect wealthier Americans, as nearly 40% of household wealth is tied to stocks. Iran, however, is earning more from oil sales despite the war. The second major topic is TSA chaos, as agents start getting paid after a partial government shutdown, but shortages persist. Almost 500 TSA agents have quit since mid-February, leading to four-hour wait times at airports like Atlanta and Houston, while others like Minneapolis remain normal. Airlines like Delta and United are offering fee waivers in response. The episode includes sponsor segments for Company Retreat, Apple MacBook, Ultra pouches, and TurboTax. In the 'Winners of the Weekend' segment, one winner is the idea that AI could moderate political polarization, based on a Financial Times essay showing AI platforms push users toward centrist views. The other winner is the US Jigsaw Nationals, which saw record participation in Atlanta, with winners completing 500-piece puzzles in under 40 minutes. The episode concludes with a week-ahead preview, including jobs data, a NASA moon mission, the Super Mario Galaxy movie, March Madness final four, and spring holidays.

As heard by us

A brisk briefing that turns a candy-bar heist and airport headaches into a sharp look at everyday costs and delays.

Morning Brew Daily frames a Monday briefing around the kind of friction that turns headlines into daily irritation. A theft of 12 tons of special Formula One Kit Kats on the road from a factory in Italy to Poland gives the episode its comic spark, with Neil Fryman and Toby…

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Want a 12-ton Kit Kat heist with your morning airport anxiety?

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