INFORMANT

TRANSCRIPT

The Operator: Good evening. The tape shows two distinct prints today. First, according to CNBC Markets, Goldman Sachs is blaming 'lower happiness' for struggling consumer sentiment. Their economist, Joseph Briggs, says weak readings reflect a fundamental pessimism about the state of the world rather than just economics. He cites data from the University of Chicago's General Social Survey showing the share of Americans feeling very happy fell to 23% in 2024 from 31% in 2016.

The Operator: Next, CNBC Markets reports that de-dollarization talks at the BRICS summit remain more rhetoric than reality. Leaders discussed using local currencies to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar, citing geopolitical tensions and sanctions as drivers. However, experts note that deep distrust between members like China and India, along with a lack of unified financial infrastructure, hinders concrete progress.

The Operator: That's the show. We're on Spotify and YouTube — if this earned it: like, subscribe, tell a friend. And housekeeping: the machine that writes this gets tuned constantly for cleaner news. The numbers are real; the jokes are not.