Post COVID-19, the Fed and the Feds will have to tread carefully

Aug 3, 2020
The nature of the economic crisis resulting from the pandemic means we know little about how to deal with its aftermath.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, left, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin greet each other after testifying before a House committee in June. For now, the Fed is more focused on keeping people employed than inflation.
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As the COVID-19 lockdown took hold, savings rates spiked

Jul 31, 2020
Government relief has boosted some incomes, and shutdowns have made it harder to spend.
A shuttered movie theater in Los Angeles. As people are unable to spend money on outings like movies and restaurants, the savings rate has climbed.
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A vaccine isn’t going to be a magic cure for the COVID-19 pandemic

Jul 30, 2020
Even if a fully effective vaccine can be developed and deployed quickly, it won’t mean an immediate return to normal life or business.
President Trump wears a mask as he tours a lab where they are making components for a potential vaccine in Morrisville, North Carolina.
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Home child care workers unionize in California

Jul 29, 2020
Workers hope to strengthen an industry that has become even more precarious.
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USDA pandemic food box program extended

Jul 28, 2020
The USDA program is designed to help people facing food insecurity.
Volunteers in Virginia organize food distribution to families in need.
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Millions of Americans face stigma of moving back in with their parents

Jul 28, 2020
As the economy struggles, the meaning of "growing up" seems to be shifting. But the trend of adults living with parents started before the pandemic.
As people are stuck in tiny apartments in locked-down cities, Mom and Dad's suburban house seems like a good option.
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In China, livestream sales flourish in time of COVID-19

Jul 27, 2020
Struggling retailers hope livestreaming will provide a lifeline. Aspiring influencers don't always strike it rich.
Former livestreaming influencer Sam Tian says making it in the industry is largely a matter of luck.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

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New supply-chain crisis during pandemic: not enough cans for food

Jul 24, 2020
Manufacturers and distributors are running out of empty cans to pack nonperishable foods that Americans are buying in bulk.
A shelf almost bare of canned food. With Americans stocking up on food for future needs, supplies of containers are running low.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For some, navigating the pandemic is like “walking on a sheet of ice”

Jul 16, 2020
Tax accountant Michael Durant is seeing his small business clients through a storm, but facing another at home.
Certified Public Accountant Michael Durant said trying to survive the pandemic is "like walking on a sheet of ice" for some of his small business clients. "You're just trying to get to the other side and hoping that it maintains," he said.
Friso Gentsch/DPA/AFP via Getty Images

Restaurant owners to Yelp reviewers: Be considerate!

Jul 16, 2020
During the pandemic, a bad Yelp review hurts more than ever.
Diners peruse a menu at a Maryland restaurant. Many Yelp reviewers' unrestrained criticism is another stress factor for struggling eateries.
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