ECONOMY

The Pandemic Is Having Tremendous Financial Impact On Houston, Survey Shows

3:50pm September 14, 2020

by Sara Ernst

Half or more of U.S. households say the financial impact of the pandemic has been serious. An NPR and Harvard survey found Houston households were affected the most, especially Blacks and Latinos.

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United Auto Workers members leave the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Warren Truck Assembly plant after a shift in May in Warren, Mich. Car sales are picking up again, but automakers face a problem: getting enough workers.

Economy

As Auto Industry Roars Back, Worker Shortages Throw Up Roadblocks

2:31pm September 14, 2020

by Camila Domonoske

The U.S. auto industry has an absenteeism problem. The word might bring to mind people playing hooky, but during a pandemic there are lots of good reasons people might not show up to work.

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Protesters march Aug. 21 outside a courthouse in Houston, where evictions are continuing despite a moratorium ordered recently by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Despite A New Federal Ban, Many Renters Are Still Getting Evicted

1:22pm September 14, 2020

by Chris Arnold

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered a nationwide eviction ban for people who can't pay rent and have no place to go. It's helping some, but many others are getting evicted anyway.

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Grocery prices have fallen in recent months but are still 4.6% higher than at this time last year. Here, a woman stock shelves in a deli in June at a Washington, D.C., supermarket.

Economy

More Groceries, Less Gas: The Pandemic Is Shaking Up The Cost Of Living

2:44pm September 11, 2020

by Scott Horsley

Consumer prices rose 0.4% in August and 1.3% over the last 12 months. Some economists say that official measure understates inflation, because the pandemic has changed both what and how we buy.

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Economy

Parts Of America See Housing Boom During The COVID-19 Pandemic

7:01am September 11, 2020

by Greg Rosalsky

The lopsided housing market reflects two Americas: one living in booming "Zoom Towns" and one on the brink of eviction.

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COVID-19 Is Changing The Way We Spend Money, Affecting Inflation

6:56am September 11, 2020

by Scott Horsley

The pandemic has changed how people are shopping in ways that are not reflected in official measurements like the Consumer Price Index, due out Friday morning. Lived inflation is probably even higher.

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News Brief: U.S. Wildfires, Coronavirus Relief Bill, Russian Election Hackers

4:57am September 11, 2020

Fires continue to rage in the West Coast. The Senate failed to advance another COVID-19 relief bill. And, Microsoft says the Russian hackers who disrupted the 2016 election are back.

Economic Impact Of Coronavirus Shutdown On NYC

4:26pm September 10, 2020

by Mirela Iverac (WNYC)

New York City has gotten the coronavirus under control much more successfully than most parts of the U.S. But now it's dealing with severe economic consequences of the shutdown, according to a poll.

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Airline Workers Brace As Federal Aid Runs Out This Month

1:32pm September 10, 2020

by David Schaper

Flight attendants, pilots and other airline employees hope a deadlocked Congress will agree to extend a federal payroll relief program and prevent mass layoffs.

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There are divides when it comes to who is doing well financially and who is struggling during this pandemic, a new poll finds.

Pandemic Financially Imperils Nearly Half Of American Households, Poll Finds

1:03pm September 10, 2020

by Yuki Noguchi

There are dividing lines when it comes to how families are weathering the pandemic: Those living in big cities, those making less than $100,000 a year, and Latino and Black families are faring worst.