Dented by the delta variant, consumer confidence now confronts omicron

Nov 30, 2021
Confidence ticked down in November, but so far, each wave of COVID seems to have less of an impact on how consumers feel.
Shoppers stroll in a Houston mall on Black Friday. Though consumer confidence may dip if the omicron variant spreads, higher vaccination rates and a strong job market may help.
Brandon Bell via Getty Images

Economic optimism cools as fall nears, thanks to the delta variant

Sep 13, 2021
It's holding back developed economies and dominating the rest of the world.
Victor J. Blue/Getty Images

Travel slowing as Labor Day nears

Aug 30, 2021
The late-summer slowdown could delay full recovery for the industry.
A Turkish Airlines plane is seen at the Miami International Airport in June 2021. Airlines are largely viewing spread of the delta variant as having a short-term impact, industry experts say.
Joe Raedle via Getty Images

Delta variant could mean more cash for companies that flourished in lockdown

Aug 27, 2021
If more people stay at home, especially as cold weather creeps in, companies like DoorDash and Netflix could feel the benefit.
The Netflix logo is seen on top of its Hollywood office building in February 2021. Spread of the delta variant could boost the fortunes of companies like Peloton, DoorDash and Netflix, experts say.
Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

A tour of the remote-work industrial complex

Aug 19, 2021
The remote-work revolution has spawned an industry unto itself: remote-work consulting.
People are likely to be working from home for some time, so some employers are investing in services like feng shui consulting and virtual reality.
Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images

3 real-time indicators that show the economic recovery's tapped the brakes

Aug 18, 2021
So-called high frequency data also paints a picture of how the delta coronavirus variant is affecting the economy.
UKG, which tracks work shifts, reports that hours worked fell 2.4% from mid-July to mid-August.
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COVID surge might not be the main factor in retail sales drop

Aug 17, 2021
The obvious explanation for July's 1.1% dip would be the coronavirus delta variant. Not so fast; inflation may also be a culprit.
Despite consumer purchases being down 1.1% last month, they were still nearly 16% higher than in July 2020.
Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for Housing Works

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Hospitals are short-staffed and running out of beds. Again.

Aug 17, 2021
With COVID-19 cases rising, at least a few hospitals in almost every state are dealing with critical staffing shortages, including nurses and custodians.
Nurses care for COVID-19 patients in a makeshift ICU at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California, in January. Some seven months later, hospitals are once again running out of ICU beds.
Mario Tama via Getty Images

How a travel agency is bouncing back from a devastating year

Aug 11, 2021
Denver travel agent Sarah Fazendin says clients are spending more on extras than they would have before the pandemic.
Sarah Fazendin, owner of Videre Travel, a Denver-based travel agency, with her family at Machu Picchu in Peru. Her business has seen a massive uptick in travelers looking to navigate changing COVID restrictions.
Courtesy Sarah Fazendin

Facing staff shortages, schools offer thousands in bonuses and retention incentives

Aug 9, 2021
With school starting up again soon in many places, school districts across the country are still scrambling to fill positions, an effort complicated by the delta variant.
A Stamford, Connecticut, educator teaches second grade in September 2020. Some schools are offering incentives to fill staff shortages.
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