Four-day workweek back in discussion - July 8, 2021

New jobless claims edged up in the last week, even as impediments to returning to work are easing. Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s June meeting, released on Wednesday, indicate that some members have grown wary of rapidly rising inflation, dividing board members over how to move forward. Euro-Area Outlook Raised by EU With Warning on Inflation - Bloomberg Higher inflation is no longer hypothetical—and it has Americans worried - Fortune @SchwabResearch: Sector Views: How changes in interest rates and style leadership affect stock market sectors. The rapid growth of the U.S. economy continues to strain supplies for even more goods. In addition to the semiconductor chip shortage that has plagued the automotive and electronic sectors, shortages abound among those selling patio furniture, chicken wings, and other food items such as flavored syrup, canned beer and sodas. Blood centers across the U.S. continue to plead with the public to donate blood, which is in such short supply that many hospitals have been forced to postpone their surgeries. Everything You Need to Know About the Great Lumber Crisis of 2021 - Vice How to buffer against an urban food shortage - Nature @TIME: From cars to toasters, America's semiconductor shortage is wreaking havoc on our lives. Can we fix it? Japan’s prime minister has declared a state of emergency aimed at containing rising infections in Tokyo, meaning that all fans will likely be banned from viewing the Olympics from any venue. A ban on serving alcohol will likely tone down Olympic-related festivities, while Tokyo residents are expected to face stay-home requests. Australia's slow vaccination, locked borders eclipse early virus success - Reuters Phuket draws tourists despite rising Thailand virus cases - Associated Press The post-pandemic return-to-work has provided a fresh opportunity for proponents of the four-day workweek to make their case. New York-based crowdfunding platform Kickstarter will implement the shorter workweek as a way to provide workplace fle