Marketplace

Most colleges in the U.S. have been shut down for months in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. But NYU’s campus in Shanghai could provide an example of how to reopen mid-pandemic. Today, we take you there. Plus: the PPP extension, a literal economic slowdown and how breweries are adapting to social distancing.

Some companies have been experimenting with the four-day workweek to improve productivity and morale. Will the coronavirus pandemic finally push more workplaces to make the switch? Plus: what it’s like to quarantine in an RV, and will Q3 be the “fastest-growing quarter in U.S. history”?

States — and counties within those states — are reopening at different stages with different rules and guidelines. Business owners are navigating the uncertainty around those rules as they try to determine which apply to their businesses. A bar owner in Boise, Idaho, thought she might be able to reopen, but realized her bar doesn’t serve enough food to meet the state requirement. Plus: a program in California focused on housing the homeless during the pandemic, high school seniors are facing a difficult decision and the life-saving properties of soap.

It’s been about two months since Congress passed the big coronavirus relief bill, and 10 weeks since President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency. We’ll talk with some of our contributors and historians about the state of the economy and the historical context. Plus: China abandons GDP targets, Americans settle into working from home for the long haul and we chat with the president of the New York Stock Exchange.

Another 2.4 million people filed for unemployment benefits last week. That’s down from the week before, but still about the population of Houston. There are two ways the government measures joblessness in this country, and it’s important to keep an eye on both. We’ll explain. Plus: how emerging markets are faring in this crisis, why evictions could surge in Texas and a conversation with the CEO of the travel company Booking Holdings.

By the way, this is the last day of our last fundraising drive for our fiscal year. If you can, make a donation today at Marketplace.org/donate.

Restaurants, already operating on thin margins, have to balance keeping customers safe and making them feel safe, while trying to restore some normalcy. Today, we look at how one Atlanta Vietnamese spot is doing it. Plus: How Americans spent their relief checks, the coming wave of farm bankruptcies and the fight over hazard pay.

Today we’re going to dig into some ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While companies are looking for breaks from their rent, Home Depot says sales are up, and animation is about the only entertainment production still working. Plus: How remote work in oil and gas … works.

We asked the CEO of digital education company Chegg. Plus, we’ll dig into the auto supply chain, examine how banking has changed and get a preview of the new season of “The Uncertain Hour.”

…Now they might dip into those funds. Today on the show, we’ll look at the long-term effects of this economic crisis. Plus: new retail sales numbers, travel in a reopened China and the Americans staying away from hospitals even when they need care.

As colleges and universities across the country plan virtual graduations for the class of 2020, many new graduates are looking for their first jobs in a very different world than they were planning for just a couple months ago. Today we check in with some of them. Plus: how rural libraries are holding up, how consumer spending is changing and the tense dynamic between reopening companies and employees who don’t feel safe coming back.