US retail sales rise for 3rd month amid COVID-19 pandemic but slowdown expected

The gains of the past three months have now restored retail purchases to their levels before they plunged in March and April when the pandemic shuttered businesses and paralyzed the economy.

NY unemployment system prepared for surge

New York’s labor commissioner says the state is ready to rapidly ramp up its unemployment system again in case the pandemic surges and the economy must shutter once again.

US budget deficit climbs to record $2.81 trillion

The Treasury Department says the U.S. budget deficit climbed to $2.81 trillion in the first 10 months of the budget year.

Consumer prices in the US rose 0.6% in July, matching June uptick

The uptick was about twice what economists expected. But inflation remains in check: Consumer prices are up just 1% over the past year.

Summer jobs for young people are vanishing amid the COVID-19 pandemic

The iconic summer job for high school and college students has been on the wane for nearly 20 years. But the pandemic is squeezing even more young people out of the workforce.

Will Americans get a second $1,200 stimulus check? What we know

The fate of a second stimulus check was thrown into uncertainty last week when White House officials and Democratic leaders missed a self-imposed deadline to cut a deal on another round of emergency coronavirus aid.

US adds 1.8 million jobs in July, a dip from previous months

The United States added 1.8 million jobs in July, a pullback from the gains of May and June and evidence that the resurgent coronavirus is stalling hiring and slowing an economic rebound.

Laid-off workers endure loss of $600 federal aid amid COVID-19 pandemic

Around the country, across industries and occupations, millions of Americans thrown out of work because of the coronavirus are straining to afford the basics now that an extra $600 a week in federal unemployment benefits has expired.

1.2 million seek jobless aid after $600 federal check ends

Nearly 1.2 million laid-off Americans applied for state unemployment benefits last week, evidence that the coronavirus keeps forcing companies to slash jobs just as a critical $600 weekly federal jobless payment has expired.

Wave of evictions expected as moratoriums end in many states

Housing advocates fear that they could see a wave of evictions in the coming months, as states end moratoriums put in place during the coronavirus pandemic.

US manufacturing improves in July, outlook clouded by coronavirus

The Institute for Supply Management, an association of purchasing managers, said Monday that its manufacturing index rose to 54.2 last month, up from a June reading of 52.6. Any reading above 50 signals that U.S. manufacturing is expanding.

Record economic plunge, bleak jobs numbers reveal virus toll

The U.S. economy shrank at a dizzying 33% annual rate in the April-June quarter — by far the worst quarterly plunge ever — when the viral outbreak shut down businesses, throwing tens of millions out of work and sending unemployment surging to 14.7%, the government said Thursday.

Struggling merchants, insurers battle over pandemic coverage

Restaurants, bars and other merchants struggling to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic are desperately reaching out for a lifeline from insurers who say they are being miscast as potential saviors.

Second stimulus check details revealed: Who is eligible?

The GOP unveiled details for a second round of direct payments to American households on Monday, in legislation that has been dubbed the HEALS Act.

Business economists sketch a more hopeful outlook

In the past three months, the outlook for the U.S. economy has improved in the eyes of business economists. However, the optimism is couched somewhat by the resurgence of the coronavirus.

The week in numbers: $600 in jobless benefits expires, a plan for 6M daily tests by December

This week saw details from a federal health organization’s efforts to ramp up coronavirus testing by December, the looming expiration of a key COVID-19 unemployment benefit made headlines, and health leaders discussed the need for states to incorporate different types of data into their coronavirus response.