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COVID-19

COVID & Unemployment

Fewer people are on unemployment, but there's a nasty shock coming for many of them

by Mitchell Hartman
Aug 19, 2021
Their federal benefits — which add up to more than $6 billion a week — are about to run out.
Emergency federal unemployment benefits — equivalent to roughly $6 billion per week — are set to expire in two and a half weeks.
Thinkstock via Getty Images
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A tour of the remote-work industrial complex

by Matt Levin
Aug 19, 2021
The remote-work revolution has spawned an industry unto itself: remote-work consulting.
People are likely to be working from home for some time, so some employers are investing in services like feng shui consulting and virtual reality.
Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP via Getty Images
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Why are some restaurants shutting the door on food delivery giants?

by Kai Ryssdal and Minju Park
Aug 18, 2021
Steep third-party food delivery fees are driving some restaurant owners to seek alternatives.
An Uber Eats delivery person hauls food on a bicycle. Jon Sewell says his delivery co-op, which is owned by restaurants, cut delivery costs and improved service.
Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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COVID-19

What could the delta variant mean for Hawaii's tourism industry?

by Kai Ryssdal and Andie Corban
Aug 18, 2021
Even after a record-breaking sales this summer, Manu Powers, co-owner of Sea Quest Hawaii, is concerned about the future of her business.
A tourist goes through COVID-19 safety protocols at Los Angeles International Airport before flying to Hawaii.
Patrick T. Fallon via Getty Images
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COVID-19

COVID surge might not be the main factor in retail sales drop

by Marielle Segarra
Aug 17, 2021
The obvious explanation for July's 1.1% dip would be the coronavirus delta variant. Not so fast; inflation may also be a culprit.
Despite consumer purchases being down 1.1% last month, they were still nearly 16% higher than in July 2020.
Gary Gershoff/Getty Images for Housing Works
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COVID-19

Hospitals are short-staffed and running out of beds. Again.

by Samantha Fields
Aug 17, 2021
With COVID-19 cases rising, at least a few hospitals in almost every state are dealing with critical staffing shortages, including nurses and custodians.
Nurses care for COVID-19 patients in a makeshift ICU at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California, in January. Some seven months later, hospitals are once again running out of ICU beds.
Mario Tama via Getty Images
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Delta variant starting to alter consumer spending – except among unvaccinated

by Amanda Peacher
Aug 17, 2021
Many Americans who’ve gotten the shot are feeling anxious, but not so with the unvaccinated.  
People spend time at an ice skating rink in The Galleria mall on Aug. 03, 2021 in Houston, Texas.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images
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COVID-19

Consumer sentiment plummeted in early August, driven by surge of delta variant

by Mitchell Hartman
Aug 13, 2021
The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index shows the rise of the delta variant this summer has curbed spending.
An empty New York restaurant in May 2020. A resurgence of COVID cases is weighing on consumers' moods, especially among the vaccinated.
Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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My Economy

How a travel agency is bouncing back from a devastating year

by Minju Park
Aug 11, 2021
Denver travel agent Sarah Fazendin says clients are spending more on extras than they would have before the pandemic.
Sarah Fazendin, owner of Videre Travel, a Denver-based travel agency, with her family at Machu Picchu in Peru. Her business has seen a massive uptick in travelers looking to navigate changing COVID restrictions.
Courtesy Sarah Fazendin
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July consumer price index shows signs of easing inflation

by Mitchell Hartman
Aug 11, 2021
But inflation eased on a month-to-month basis. Many economists expect price gains to moderate as the pandemic recovery progresses.
Shoppers at a Costco in Novato, California. Yearly inflation was unchanged at 5.4%, but the month-to-month and core inflation measures suggest price gains are slowing down.
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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