Justice Dept. appeals travel mask mandate after CDC request - April 21, 2022

Tesla shares jumped in premarket trading Thursday after the electric-vehicle maker reported $3.3 billion in earnings in the first quarter – resulting in $18.7 billion in revenue, an 81% increase year over year. Although the industry remains constrained by shortages of key materials and components, demand for Tesla’s and other electric vehicles stayed strong despite the average cost of lithium-ion battery cells increasing. A Consumer Reports survey revealed 71% of U.S. drivers would consider buying an electric vehicle with nearly a third indicating interest in an electric vehicle for their next vehicle purchase, citing the reduction of pollution as a persuading factor. The Justice Department appealed to reinstate the transportation mask mandate following a ruling from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it remains necessary for public health. The majority of Americans support a mask requirement for public transportation despite showing a wide partisan divide on the issue. Job recruiters are returning to U.S. college campuses with upgraded career fairs that include intimate gatherings and flashy presentations to persuade young adults to enter the competitive labor market. Many Gen Z students have voiced that they wish to work remotely at least part-time. Young professionals are in high demand as employers plan to hire 30% more new graduates than they did last year, with starting salaries in fields like technology, finance and consulting reaching upwards of six figures. Companies like JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Citigroup Inc. and several other banks added $10,000 to starting salaries this year. U.S. home prices continued to sore to record highs in March while mortgage rates rose rapidly, slowing home sales to the lowest level in nearly two years, with existing-home sales falling 4.5% from a year earlier. U.S. homebuilders said materials are getting easier to find, with the pandemic-related lumber shortage easing up for now despite experts predicting prices will continue to gain upward tractio