Marketplace Morning Report

Criticism that smaller and minority-owned businesses didn’t get their fair share from the first round of Paycheck Protection Program money. Wireless and internet carriers are extending grace periods. Apple and Google are set to release their joint contact tracing tool.

From the BBC World Service: HSBC halts job cuts as concerns mount over loan repayments. Takeout is back as New Zealand starts to relax lockdown restrictions. India criticizes the accuracy of Chinese-made COVID-19 testing kits and cancels an order.

New guidelines for meat processors, as COVID-19 threatens food supply infrastructure. The SXSW film festival has partnered with Amazon to show some movies for free. Businesses in Georgia must make a decision about whether to reopen or not.

Even as coronavirus cases and deaths continue to rise in some places, calls for reopening continue. Italy, which has had the longest lockdown in Europe, and New York share plans. And, how musicians are adapting to performances without crowds.

From the BBC World Service: The British leader faces calls to ease restrictions as he returns from COVID-19 treatment. Spain, Germany and Switzerland start to reopen. Canceled garment contracts leave Bangladeshi workers reeling.

The New York Fed builds a new model to measure GDP growth with weekly data. One of the largest producers of shale oil in North Dakota is turning off the spigots for now. Airlines report quarterly losses.

The House passed a nearly $500 billion bill authorizing more money for small business loans. Will consumers visit businesses that reopen in certain states? How are day laborers dealing with even more uncertainty in their work lives?

From the BBC World Service: The collapse in global oil prices is adding to the stress on Venezuela’s fragile economy. What does the plunge mean for other oil-producing countries? COVID-19 restrictions take a toll on Ramadan preparations in Egypt.

About 4.4 million more people signed up for unemployment benefits last week, bringing to 26 million the total number of laid-off people turning to states for this help in just five weeks. How Vietnam has stopped the spread of COVID-19. A look at some of the unintended consequences of coronavirus policy changes so far.

Do unemployment benefits cover the cost of living? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says states should be allowed to go bankrupt. One economist’s model shows how costly staying open with no lockdown would be for the U.S.