All Economy
First LookWill stores forgo the most profitable 鈥� and crowded 鈥� holidays?To curb crowds, Target and Walmart have decided to close stores on Thanksgiving day, ending the early-bird door buster tradition. Black Friday sales are still in limbo.
FocusNext pandemic threat to economy: A wave of evictionsThe expiration of federal and state eviction bans puts millions of renters at risk.聽Will the U.S. let a health crisis become a housing crisis?
First LookBlack lives matter at work, too, strikers say across US citiesNursing home employees, janitors, airport workers, and more will walk out of their jobs Monday and take a knee for eight minutes in at least two dozen U.S. cities. Strikers demand corporations confront systemic racism and economic inequality in their workplaces.
Aid for US economy is expiring 鈥� at just the wrong momentWith a rise in coronavirus cases hindering efforts at reopening the economy, pressure is rising on Congress for a new round of aid.
First LookWaiter by day, actor by night: In NYC, it's a fading optionAs New York City attempts to reopen, some fear that jobs for the city's creative class are no longer available. 鈥淪uddenly I don鈥檛 have young artists to work with because they can鈥檛 afford New York,鈥� the owner of a production company said.聽
First LookFirst to close, first to grow: Chinese economy begins recoveryThe Chinese economy was the first to shut down at the start of the coronavirus pandemic 鈥� and it's now the first major economy to show growth. While聽consumer spending is still weak, manufacturing and some other industries are almost back to normal.聽
First LookApple wins court battle over $15B, limiting EU's tax authorityApple just won a long court battle over $15 billion in back taxes. Like several U.S. tech companies, they鈥檝e managed to聽pay low tax rates on a bulk of their European profits by setting up headquarters in Ireland.聽One legislator called the verdict 鈥渁 huge setback鈥� in the fight for a fair tax system.
The ExplainerHunger jumps, travel plummets: Tracing pandemic鈥檚 ripples in 3 chartsThe coronavirus and efforts to contain it have reshaped the U.S. economy and the lives of those who depend on it. Just how long will that last?
Vacation redefined: Head to Cape Cod, act like a homebodyVacation traditions are being tested as people pine for beaches amid a pandemic. One result is the rise of the away-from-home staycation.
First LookIn economic slump, town takes new tack: Printing its own moneyTenino, Washington has revived a Great Depression-era strategy to help shore up the local economy during the pandemic 鈥� printing its own currency. Other towns across the country are taking notice of the town's unusual methods.
First LookWorkers plan 'Strike for Black Lives.' Here are their demands.A U.S. coalition of labor unions and racial justice organizers plan a mass walk-out on July 20, calling on corporations and government leaders to address systemic racism in the economy. "We cannot win economic justice without racial justice," said one union president.聽
First LookSummer camps use survival skills to keep running during COVID-19As most of the nation's 15,000-plus camps opt to close because of coronavirus concerns or delays in receiving state guidelines, 19.5 million kids will miss out on camp this summer
First LookSales up in Black-owned businesses, owners hope it lastsLists of local Black-owned businesses across Boston have been circulating on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, helping retailers raise their profile and boost sales at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the economy.
FocusAs society relies on gig workers, will they see a boost in stature?As new COVID-19 cases surpass 50,000 in a single day, people working for platforms like Instacart are among those most exposed to health risks.
Coronavirus effect? For some small farms, it鈥檚 sales. (video)As the coronavirus spread, threatening to disrupt food manufacturing plants, some shoppers looked locally for food. Small farms answered.
FocusWill America still go out to eat? One restaurateur鈥檚 moment of truth.For Jonathan Mendez, business hopes have downshifted from expansion to restaurant survival. His story reveals how anchors of urban life are at risk.
For migrant farmworkers, coronavirus adds new burdensThe U.S. relies on 2.4 million farmworkers to harvest everything from blueberries to lettuce. This year they confront extra risks tied to COVID-19.
Cover StoryRising inequality in a crisis: The view from BaltimoreHow the COVID-19 recession has exacerbated the income divide in America 鈥� and is contributing to rising social unrest.
Corporate America confronts racism. Why this time may be different.The George Floyd protests have been accompanied by corporate calls for racial justice. Companies face risks if those words aren't matched by deeds.
First Look'Truth hurts': Top brands reveal workforce racial makeupSome of the biggest companies pledging solidarity with the Black community struggled to recruit and promote minorities within their own ranks. Black employees account for 12% of the overall workforce, but only 8% of management jobs.
