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Biden unveiling $1.9T plan to stem virus and steady economy

Jan 14, 2021
Biden's "American Rescue Plan" would deliver another round of aid to stabilize the economy while public health officials try to get the upper hand on the pandemic.
President-elect Joe Biden delivers remarks on Jan. 8 in Wilmington, Delaware.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

What does the road to economic recovery look like?

Jan 11, 2021
It may turn out to be quite bumpy.
A pharmacist receives a COVID-19 vaccine in Florida. Vaccinations will probably free up consumer spending, but it won't be like turning on a light switch, in the words of one expert.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Britain cuts foreign aid to help pay the cost of COVID-19

Jan 11, 2021
The decision to reduce overseas aid during the nation's economic contraction has provoked outrage, but it has also drawn support .
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak sits beside Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a  meeting in July. Sunak supported reducing the U.K.'s foreign aid budget by the equivalent of $600 billion.
Simon Dawson/Getty Images

Global food prices hit 3-year high

Jan 7, 2021
Supermarkets don’t have much leeway to absorb higher food costs, so they're quickly passed on to consumers.
Mostly empty supermarket shelves at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. Food prices have climbed as the U.S. economy struggles to recover from the recession.
Amy Sussman/Getty Images

What the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol means for economic recovery

Jan 6, 2021
"The highest priority that Congress has is restoring stability and creating certainty," said Wendy Edelberg of Brookings.
Supporters of President Donald Trump protest after breaking into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

For small businesses that survived 2020 … a reset in the new year

Jan 5, 2021
Keeping a business afloat through the ups and downs of the pandemic has changed the way some owners manage their companies, and their own lives.
Shobha Tummala stands in front of her "Shobha" location in Rockville, MD. She said the 2020 revenues from her chain of hair removal salons will be about a third of the previous year.
Kimberly Adams/ Marketplace

When will the economy return back to “normal”?

Dec 21, 2020
We may have some degree of economic normalcy by mid-summer, but full employment will likely take years, said experts.
People wearing protective masks walk by holiday windows in New York City.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images

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Dueling views of the economy we're in

Dec 1, 2020
In their Senate testimony, Treasury chief Steven Mnuchin emphasized progress and Fed Chair Jerome Powell focused on unmet needs. Does their divergence matter?
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell greet each other as they arrive at Tuesday's Senate Banking Committee hearing.
Al Drago/AFP via Getty Images

How low interest rates may shape the start of a Biden presidency

Nov 24, 2020
The only thing really left is for Congress and a president to pass more stimulus.
President-elect Joe Biden announces key cabinet nominees at a press conference on Nov. 24 in Wilmington, Delaware.
Mark Makela/Getty Images

What you need to know about “austerity”

Nov 16, 2020
Calls for austerity likely slowed the economic recovery from the Great Recession. Could that happen again?
Government spending during a recession needs to be like "turning into a skid," said economist J.W. Mason. "When your tax revenue is falling, you need to pick up the spending."
Matt Cardy/Getty Images