Young America faces an economic crisis

Younger adults are facing the worst labor market shock in years, one far more acute than the rest of the population.

Why it matters: There's no denying the misery for young people who can't find work. It might stunt their career growth for decades to come.

Threat level: What's holding back hiring is a mix of fleeting, cyclical factors — economic uncertainty as a result of Trump's trade policies, for instance, or high interest rates. • Other factors, like the uptake of AI eliminating entry-level positions, are likely structural. The result might be a difficult hiring environment for younger people for the foreseeable future. • Young but less-educated Americans also feel the pinch. The sluggish pace of job gains is widespread across the economy, including in industries that, in normal