Week of June 22nd, 2020

We’ll talk about it over drinks. And by the way: Wear your masks!

An 8% uptick in May follows a 20% drop over March and April. That’s the good news. There are plenty of potential economic blows on the horizon.

Plus: Facebook’s about-face on ads and Texas’ influx of Californians.

A number of civil rights groups are calling on companies to press pause on Facebook and Instagram advertising.

Major companies said they were pulling ads from Facebook as part of a movement called #stophateforprofit.

And that’s one reason for the persistent homeownership gap.

The reasons for relocation include the lower cost of living, bigger houses for less money and more conservative politics.

Consumers spending jumped a record 8.2% in May, but “we’re not even close” to back to normal. Airlines executives are going to the White House today to talk COVID-19 concerns. And, Ibiza’s clubs are shut down for the foreseeable future.

On the agenda: concerns around checking passengers’ temperatures and contact tracing.

About 500,000 people signed up for Obamacare coverage after COVID-19-related job losses.

But Gov. Greg Abbott also said he is not telling businesses to close back up.

Half a million Americans have turned to Obamacare during COVID-19. So why does the Trump Administration want the Supreme Court to strike it down? Texas governor pauses reopening the state. And, people are ditching big weddings in favor of elopements.

Almost 2,000 people are under quarantine in Germany after a coronavirus outbreak at a meat factory. Meanwhile, France’s coastal towns are relying on domestic visitors as EU countries discuss reopening borders.

Ibiza usually welcomes 3 million tourists to its beaches and clubs in summertime. What now with COVID-19 restrictions?

Couples are still celebrating, but they are opting for small gatherings. There’s a financial advantage, too.

Chattanooga rolled out citywide fiber a decade ago, which has become an economic driver.

Will going after Facebook’s ad revenue get the social media giant to take more action on misinformation?

Takeout cocktails have saved jobs in the restaurant and bar industries.

The state will make standards legally binding, where federal guidelines are mere recommendations.

Plus: Virginia is set to become the first state mandating COVID-19 workplace safety measures, and bars are adapting to takeout cocktails.

But the central bank is putting a stop to share buybacks and limiting bank dividends.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, people trade goods, services and information in online communities.

Gary Hoover of the University of Oklahoma said talking about race in Econ 101 would help increase diversity in the field.

Soap operas are more expensive to make than other daytime TV, but still get more viewers than talk shows.

The Ford F-series of trucks have been America’s best selling vehicles, of any type, for decades. Can Ford keep that up during the COVID-19 pandemic?

One of the largest product-liability settlements ever takes shape. Will the U.S. be able to sustain an improvement in reducing unemployment? Nike’s earnings, and its support for Black Lives Matter. How the pandemic is testing the foster care system.

The high court ruled that the administration can deport some people seeking asylum without allowing them to make their case to a federal judge.

Bayer, which acquired Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, is trying to settle all claims, present and future.

It’s the 12th straight drop in first-time claims, a sign that layoffs are slowing but still at a high level.

Disney has plans to reopen its Florida theme park next month, despite a workers’ petition calling for them to reconsider.

According to a recent Harris poll, Nike’s reputation with the general public has strengthened over the past two years.

As we reimagine an economy of the future, economist and “Angrynomics” author Mark Blyth shares ideas for a “citizens’ wealth fund.” And, with COVID-19 cases spiking, reopenings are being reconsidered, including at Disney theme parks.

The whole system has practically ground to a halt. Once the pandemic is over, a flood of children could enter foster care.

Billions are needed to boost the economy of Africa’s largest crude oil producer. Qantas cuts 20% of its workforce. Travel companies struggle as Saudi Arabia bans international pilgrims travelling for hajj.

More than 129 million people only have one option for broadband, a study showed.

There are a couple of ways into the stock market, and we’ll talk about it on Whadda Ya Wanna Know Wednesday.

Jordan Wirfs-Brock “sonified” data from unemployment claims to give us another way to process historic job losses.

Plus: The IMF’s grim forecast, unemployment data as sound and “The Great Indoors.”

Some employers are adding new options related to wellness to their health care offerings.

While Black owned businesses were worst hit, those owned by Asian people were close behind.

Small restaurants are at the greatest risk if put under new restrictions.

That means fewer jobs and more debt. And the U.S. may be in for even worse.

An excerpt from “The Great Indoors: The Surprising Science of How Buildings Shape our Behavior, Health and Happiness.”

“You just get a much bigger fiscal bang for the buck,” says Mark Blyth, the economics professor and author of “Angrynomics.”

Different areas of the U.S. have ramped up testing, but it’s not enough.

Because loan amounts were based on how much companies pay their employees, lower-income workers got less money.

Who got Paycheck Protection loans? New research suggests those who got the most may have needed it the least. Plus, a cautious mood among stock investors with COVID-19 spikes. And, the child care industry’s dire need for financial help.

About 350,000 child care workers are currently out of a job.

Majorities of young people, independent of race, perceive problems with systemic racism and systemic discrimination, according to the GenForward survey.

Department stores have to move inventory quickly, and that can be tough if there’s a liquidation sale going on next door.

Economists track what’s called the Baltic Dry Index as a snapshot of what’s coursing through the arteries of the global economy. Plus, 13 more J.C. Penney stores will close for good. And, surveying millennials about transformational change.

Some families facing financial hardship in Latin America are sending children to work. Germany imposes fresh regional lockdowns after a spike in COVID-19 cases. A spotlight on Spain’s migrant fruit pickers.

Infrastructure and investment matter.

The World Trade Organization says things could have been far worse.

Loren Wold of Ohio State is back to talk masks, vaccines and whether he’d get on a plane again anytime soon.

Plus, a look at the history of discriminatory and family-based immigration policies in the 20th century.

In America, around 28% of doctors, 35% of home aides and 20% of nursing assistants are foreign born.

Trump’s executive order restricting foreign workers could have unintended economic effects.

Author Jia Lynn Yang describes how a law meant to maintain the country’s white racial majority led to more diversity.

Delayed payments are a normal part of doing business in China. That works OK when the economy is bustling — but not anymore.

The pandemic has made it harder for younger workers to find seasonal jobs

But that extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits, which has been critical for millions, is set to run out at the end of July.

The numbers suggest that the reopening of major parts of the country gave a boost to the housing market.

Confusion after White House trade adviser Peter Navarro seemed to say the U.S.-China “Phase 1” trade deal was “over.” Trump says it’s “fully intact.” How long will the grocery surge last? How COVID-19 is hitting densely populated Chelsea, Massachusetts.

White House adviser Peter Navarro has walked back his comments from Monday night that suggested the deal was “over.”

All grocery companies’ sales are up, but which of them are gaining market share and meeting new demands?

Around 70% of America’s H-1B visas, now temporarily suspended, go to workers from India. Renault and Nissan face a U.K. lawsuit over emissions cheating claims. South Africa announces its first COVID-19 vaccine trial.

Following a White House order, the U.S. will stop issuing new visas for people who want to travel to the country for work. Rethinking police dramas on TV. China launches its final satellite in a system to rival GPS.

According to the ACLU, 4 out of every 5 workers in Chelsea are considered essential.

Some critics say the entire genre needs a serious overhaul because of the way it glosses over police brutality.

That’s a problem the FCC can address.

While it’s unclear whether the social media campaign affected turnout at the president’s Tulsa rally, fake signups to campaign events can corrupt data used for voter outreach.

Like aircraft carriers and military bases.

Many companies are committing to diversifying the workforce. But if previous efforts have failed, will this time be different?

They gave the Trump campaign a whole lot of bad data, which is expensive to clean up. Plus: drive-ins across the pond, racist film classics and “Diversity, Inc.” 

In the last few weeks, several historic films have come under increased scrutiny.

Like so many things about the coronavirus, it depends.

The Trump administration cast the effort as a way to free up jobs in an economy reeling from the coronavirus.

Social distancing rules revive interest in an old American form of entertainment.

Critics say the herbicide dicamba cannot keep its agricultural social distance.

The IRS is making more families eligible to borrow from their retirement accounts without penalty. American Airlines has been forced to raise another $3.5 billion. Why the U.S. government would sell bonds that don’t need to be paid back.

It could help the federal government deal with the debt mountain it’s amassing from COVID-19 spending.

The big change: If your spouse’s job has been hit by COVID-19 you may be eligible to pull as much as $100,000 from retirement savings — penalty-free.

Through Project Wingman, airline crews visit hospitals to provide company and support to health care workers.

Demand is still outstripping housing supply.

Nearly 4.5 million homeowners late on mortgage payments in May. Potential home sellers have been cautious about getting into the market. As businesses reopen, some add a COVID-19 surcharge. And, Wirecard says the missing $2 billion never existed.

The German payments processor Wirecard says money missing from its accounts may not exist. Britain tightens foreign takeover rules for future pandemics. How furloughed airline staff are helping health care workers.

The extra charges cover masks, gloves, protective gear and cleaning to prevent the spread of the virus.

But there are still deep divides in who can afford access.