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As reopening falters, consumer confidence falls

Aug 25, 2020
The pandemic isn't abating and consumers are wary of the future, economists at The Conference Board say.
Customers walk past closed stores at a mall in Franklin, Tennessee. Consumer confidence has fallen yet again.
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Wall Street record high belies widening gap between investor haves and have-nots

Aug 24, 2020
Who actually benefits when Wall Street hits a record?
The New York Stock Exchange in May. Stock wealth has become concentrated among fewer people in recent decades.
Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images

Outdoor dining is helping restaurants stay alive. It also comes with a lot of challenges.

Aug 24, 2020
Business owners are battling with limited space, unpredictable weather and unwanted pests.
New Yorkers dine outdoors in the East Village in July. Outdoor dining has become a lifeline for struggling restaurants, but it can cost them, too.
Jeenah Moon/Getty Images

Are zero interest credit cards easier or harder to get in this pandemic?

Aug 20, 2020
Some credit experts say that if Congress does not pass a new relief bill soon, credit card offers could dry up more.
Another month, another monthly credit card bill.
Damien Meyer/Getty Images

Bike shortage is a tale of changed lives and disrupted supply chains

Aug 20, 2020
Lockdowns put the brakes on production in Asia while boosting demand for use in exercise and commuting.
A person walks with a bike in New York City. The coronavirus pandemic battered bicycle manufacturing but boosted demand.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Workers are putting off vacation as pandemic increases stress

Aug 17, 2020
Americans have never been great about time off. But now it's more difficult — and more crucial — than ever.
Workers are taking less time off during the pandemic. Even in normal times, Americans leave up to half their vacation days unused.
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Some companies help employees cover costs of working from home

Aug 13, 2020
Employees are using the stipends to buy ergonomic chairs, wellness apps, and office equipment.
FreshSplash/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

What constitutes price gouging?

Aug 13, 2020
States prohibit exorbitant price increases for essential goods during an emergency.
Rising prices by a lot on essential items — like eggs or medicine — during a crisis is illegal.
Philippe Huguen/AFP via Getty Images

His Houston food truck business has become “very hit or miss”

Aug 11, 2020
With traditional revenue sources like office buildings closed, one food truck owner explains the challenges he's facing during the pandemic.
Jose Sanchez's new food truck business had just picked up when COVID-19 started closing office buildings, a major source of customers.
Courtesy of Jose Sanchez.

Caution: Kodak's comeback may not be picture-perfect

Aug 7, 2020
The Trump administration has given Kodak hundreds of millions of dollars to produce chemicals for COVID-19 treatments. But the venerable photography company will have to compete with a global supply chain.
Point-and-shoot cameras, both digital and film, are attracting Gen Z's attention. David Little of the International Center of Photography in New York says this might point to boredom with perfection and an interest in the image-making process.
Chris Furlong/Getty Images