The U.S. 10-year Treasury note yield climbed to 2% after closing at 1.95% on Wednesday, following December's Federal Reserve meeting minutes that indicated inflation would not have to climb from current levels for the central bank to begin raising interest rates. (CNBC)

The nature of work is radically changing. Millennials are poised to become largest demographic in the workforce in 2015 and will compromise 75% of all workers by 2030. This tech-savvy generation thinks differently about earning a living. They care more about the content and impact of their toils than how much money they earn. They want to pursue the work they’re interested in while maintaining flexibility. Indeed, a recent study shows that 79% of them would consider quitting their traditional job to freelance. (Forbes)

These are trends that could change economies. Global life expectancy has increased by about 6 years over the past two decades. The rise in life expectancy is the result of dramatic advances in health care. Global deaths from infectious disease dropped by about 25% while the number of deaths linked to noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes has jumped by about 40%. (Wall Street Journal)