Economy

Pandemic Puts An End To The 'Lipstick Index'

4:07pm July 27, 2020

The "lipstick index" was a way for experts to measure how women spent money during hard times. But lipstick use has gone down as the pandemic has made women stay home more and wear masks in public.

Senate GOP To Release $1 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill

4:07pm July 27, 2020

by Claudia Grisales

Senate Republicans will unveil a $1 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Monday. It has money for schools, businesses and testing. The measure is a starting point for negotiations with Democrats.

Congressional GOP Set To Release Latest Version Of COVID-19 Relief Package

8:37am July 27, 2020

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to NPR's Kelsey Snell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about the negotiations on coronavirus relief that are expected to follow in the days and weeks ahead.

Queue Listen Now

Food Bank Operators Brace For A Busy Month

5:00pm July 26, 2020

by Paul Flahive

With millions of people out of work, food banks have seen a major surge in demand since March. But August is set to be one of the busiest months yet, and that worries food bank operators.

Queue Listen Now

Millions Face Housing Crisis After Federal Moratorium On Evictions Expires

7:45am July 26, 2020

NPR's Sarah McCammon speaks with lawyer Mark Melton, who is one of 100 attorneys in Dallas, doing pro bono work to help people threatened with evictions during the pandemic.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Capitol Hill earlier this week. A White House proposal to cut federal unemployment benefits to a percentage of earlier wages could take months to implement, leaving millions with significantly reduced checks.

State Unemployment Agencies Could Take Months To Adapt To WH Proposal, Memos Show

12:32pm July 25, 2020

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies tells lawmakers on Capitol Hill that it would take most states 8-20 weeks to move to a modified system of awarding benefits.

COVID-19 Threatens 500 Year Tradition At The Tower Of London

7:57am July 25, 2020

by Elliot Hannon

Yeoman Warders who have guarded the Tower of London and the Royal Crown Jewels since the reign of Henry VII face layoffs because of a lack of tourists during the pandemic.

Queue Listen Now

Federal Moratorium On Evictions Expires On Friday. What's Next?

4:16pm July 24, 2020

by Chris Arnold

A federal moratorium on evictions has helped millions of renters stay in their homes during the pandemic. But a wave of evictions might be on the way as the protections expire Friday.

Queue Listen Now

Merry Collins has been fighting COVID-19 and the threat of eviction at the same time. She's been boxing up her belongings in her Dallas apartment and worries she could be evicted soon. "I'm scared," she says.

'Tsunami' Of Evictions Feared As Extra $600 Unemployment Payments End

1:40pm July 24, 2020

by Chris Arnold

Housing advocates and landlords alike say if Congress doesn't extend or replace the extra payments expiring this weekend, millions of out-of-work Americans won't be able to afford to pay their rent.

Queue Listen Now

Economy

How Economics Went From Medieval to Modern

5:43pm July 23, 2020

by Bronson Arcuri

There was once a time when there were only occasional federal taxes, no 9-to-5 jobs and farmers markets as far as the eye could see.