ECONOMY

Economy

Fed Announces Lending Plan To Help Coronavirus-Battered Economy

6:40am April 10, 2020

NPR's David Greene talks to David Wessel of the Brookings Institution about the Federal Reserve's plan to boost the economy by expanding its emergency lending programs to provide up to $2.3 trillion.

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What Happened Today: Record Unemployment, Task Force Briefing News

9:24pm April 09, 2020

NPR economics and science correspondents answer questions about the staggering unemployment numbers announced Thursday, and convey the latest updates from Thursday's White House briefing.

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Coronavirus Updates: Another Unemployment Surge, Genome Information

5:13pm April 09, 2020

NPR economics, national and science correspondents relay the latest news in the response to the coronavirus epidemic in the United States.

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How Louisiana Is Handling Record Unemployment Claims

4:52pm April 09, 2020

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Ava Dejoie, secretary of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, about the latest unemployment numbers in her state.

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Trainer Katie Gould (right) leads workout sessions remotely after having to close her studio, KG Strong in Philadelphia.

A Heavy Lift For The Fitness World As Home Workouts Replace The Gym

4:21pm April 09, 2020

by Alina Selyukh

Swimmers, runners, weight-lifters are getting creative with home exercises. Out-of-work fitness instructors are doing tricky math: whether to offer their hard-earned skills on the Internet for free.

Short on Cash? Advice For Families Stretching Their Budgets

Economy

Short on Cash? Here's Some Advice For Families Stretching Their Budgets

4:20pm April 09, 2020

by Yuki Noguchi

Many people who have lost jobs during the pandemic are still awaiting unemployment checks and are figuring out which bills to prioritize. Experts share unusual advice for these unusual times.

Informal vendors gather on Wednesday in front of a municipal office building in Johannesburg to try to obtain a permit for working amid the national lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.

World Bank: Coronavirus Is Pushing Sub-Saharan Africa To First Recession In 25 Years

1:32pm April 09, 2020

by Merrit Kennedy

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to some of the world's fastest-growing economies. But the World Bank projects its economies could pull back as much as 5.1% this year, driven by the coronavirus pandemic.

"We need more funding â and we need it fast," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor.

Senate Democrats Block GOP Effort To Boost Small-Business Aid

1:32pm April 09, 2020

by Kelsey Snell

Democrats want to funnel the extra funding through community-based financial institutions, which they say help businesses owned by minorities, veterans and rural Americans across the country.

Restaurants at Union Station in Washington, D.C., are closed. The Federal Reserve addressed several new lending programs in an effort to keep businesses and local governments afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mission Critical To Save The Economy: Fed Goes Even Bigger With Massive Loan Help

11:54am April 09, 2020

by Scott Horsley

In its latest salvo, the Federal Reserve announced $2.3 trillion in new lending programs in an effort to keep businesses and local governments afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

Line chart showing weekly jobless claims spiking to 6,606,000 the week of April 4.

Economy

Jobs Carnage Mounts: 17 Million File For Unemployment In 3 Weeks

10:39am April 09, 2020

by Jim Zarroli

The number of people seeking jobless benefits shot up again last week, as 6.6 million more of the unemployed filed first-time claims. Much of the economy has shut down, leaving millions out of work.