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By Kristin Myers, Editor-in-Chief

What's Happening Today

Good morning! It's Kristin with your daily morning digest.

This morning, the University of Michigan released the final reading of its March Consumer Sentiment Index, showing how concerns about rising inflation have more U.S. consumers worried about their finances now than in decades. The index registered its lowest level since 2011, while 32% of respondents expect their finances to worsen this year—the largest share since the 1940s.

The U.S. has also struck a deal with the European Union (EU) to provide natural gas to the region as it moves to reduce its dependence on Russia for energy. Announced as part of a new task force, the deal also seeks to achieve some climate-friendly objectives, like reducing reliance on natural gas and increasing the use of renewable energy.

The deal could boost business for American energy suppliers, as the U.S. tries to address gaps that reducing Russian energy imports will create. And that's good news for the economy and investors in U.S. providers of natural gas—shares of ExxonMobil and other natural gas providers rose slightly on the news this morning.

- Kristin

Editors' Picks

Is America's Economy Entering a New Normal? (The New York Times)

US To Boost Gas Deliveries to Europe Amid Scramble for New Supplies (The Wall Street Journal)

57% of US Households Paid No Federal Income Tax Last Year as Covid Took a Toll, Study Says (CNBC)

The Price of Gas: Why It Goes Up and Down (The Balance)

What Is Relationship Banking? (The Balance)

Can I Open a Roth IRA for My Child? (The Balance)

Off the Charts

The latest upswing in oil prices has put a damper on the tenuous relief drivers have been getting at the gas pump. In fact, the average cost of a gallon of gas nationally actually rose a small amount on Friday, the first increase in 14 days.

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Number of the Day

$270 - That's how much the typical monthly payment on a new mortgage grew as interest rates shot up the first two months of the year.

Season 2 of the "Money Confidential" podcast is back with "Taxes in Ten," a six-episode mini-season covering your top tax questions. Host and nationally recognized money expert, Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez, is teaming up with The Balance's very own Editor-in-Chief, Kristin Myers, as well as Caleb Silver, Editor-in-Chief of Investopedia, to talk about everything from doing your own taxes to the specific tax considerations of different life stages. You can listen now to "Taxes in Ten."