Generation Z

The U.S. ranks as the 23rd happiest country in the world, according to a new report from the United Nations published on Wednesday. And while that may not sound too bad, given the fact that there are 143 countries on the list, it’s a significant drop from last year when the U.S. ranked 15th. Sadly, it looks like Americans under the age of 44 are to blame for our national malaise.Oscar Issac on How Hope Plays into Leo's ArcThe study—published each year by the UN, Oxford, and Gallup—tracks global happiness on a three-year…

Younger generations grew their wealth much faster than older Americans after the pandemic began, thanks largely to stocks, according to a new study.The total wealth of Americans under 40 surged by 80%, to $9.5 trillion, between the first quarter of 2019 and the third quarter of 2023, according to a study by the New York Federal Reserve. The wealth increase far outpaced that of older generations. Americans between the ages of 40 and 54 saw their wealth increase just 10% over the same period, and those over 55 had wealth…

Momo Productions | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesGrowing up in the age of the internet and technology, online shopping is second nature for Gen Zers.One-third, 32%, of Gen Z consumers shop online at least once a day, according to data from marketing firm Tinuiti.Yet, 80% of Gen Z drivers prefer to shop for a car in person. Only 9% prefer to do so online, according to a recent report by Cars.com, which defines Gen Z adults as those between ages 18 and 28."When we're talking about them finishing a deal in person, it means…

Travel demand has surged this year, although not everyone can afford the sky-high tab. Along with rising costs for hotels and rental cars, travelers can expect to pay up to 39% more for a round-trip flight around Christmas compared with last year, according to data from the travel booking app Hopper.Young adults, in particular, are shifting their holiday getaway plans accordingly, a recent report found.About half of Generation Z plan to travel home this holiday season. However, 41% will rely on their parents or family…

Consistently saving a small percentage of your salary is a simple way to ensure you're prepared for retirement.As a rule of thumb, most financial advisors suggest you save 10% to 15% of your earnings. Here's a case study assuming you start with no savings, plan to retire at 65 and have investments that earn 6% annually.If you want to retire with $1 million, you'll need to invest about 9% of a salary of $70,000 starting in your 20s. Waiting until you're older will require a larger portion of your pay. If you wait until…

Simonskafar | E+ | Getty ImagesESG funds have become more popularSteve Cicero | Photographer's Choice | Getty ImagesFunds that allocate investor money according to ESG issues held $357 billion at the end of 2021 — more than four times the total three years earlier, according to Morningstar, which tracks data on mutual and exchange-traded funds.Investors poured $69.2 billion into ESG funds, also known as sustainable or impact funds, last year, an annual record, according to Morningstar.These funds come in a variety of…

National organizations like Ballotpedia and the Campus Vote Project are lending their perspective to the Elections Center.Image: Sean Gallup (Getty Images)TikTok is rolling out new features and doubling down on lessons learned from the 2020 Elections as we head into the midterms this November. The social media giant wants influencers to know that paid political content and ads are not allowed. The app is also launching an Elections Center to connect its young and politically active user base with political resources and…

Essentially, the study concludes that younger people are more likely to think they may have unintentionally shared false or misleading information—often driven by the pressure to share emotional content quickly. However, they are also more adept at using advanced fact-checking techniques.  One-third of Gen Z respondents said they practice lateral reading always or most of the time when verifying information—more than double the percentage of boomers. About a third of younger people also said they run searches on…

Digital entertainment and esports brand FaZe Clan began trading on the Nasdaq Wednesday after completing a SPAC merger in a deal valued at $725 million, a big step for creator economy companies to be publicly traded.FaZe Clan is an online media company made up of 93 members, consisting primarily of esports competitors and content creators, plus a handful of celebrities like Snoop Dogg. FaZe Clan's social creators have a combined following of over 500 million across multiple platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Twitch.…

The Supreme Court last week limited the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change — and that may leave eco-conscious investors wondering what they can do.Certain investment managers offer funds meant to promote values such as environmental preservation and social good, and those funds have become more popular in recent years.Trying to pick a so-called environmental, social and governance fund — especially one that aligns well with your interests — can seem…