Making Sen$e Jul 02 How the pandemic is reshaping American manufacturing Long before the coronavirus pandemic, manufacturing in the U.S. was transformed -- and with it, daily life. Now COVID-19 is delivering a new blow to the industry. But some companies are pivoting to create the personal protective equipment that the…
Making Sen$e Jun 25 With food-delivery apps like Uber Eats, who’s actually making money? During the pandemic, Americans have replaced dining out with take-out and delivery meals. As a result, more customers and restaurants are relying on apps like Grubhub and Uber Eats to transport food. But restaurants say the apps consume their profits,…
Making Sen$e Jun 18 State reopening plans force trade-offs between health and economy The staggering number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits underscores just how many are struggling financially due to the pandemic. While the economic damage from shuttering businesses and staying home is undeniable, public health experts worry that the pressure to reopen…
Making Sen$e Jun 11 Pandemic highlights the extra hardships faced by black business owners Shutting down the U.S. economy in an effort to control the coronavirus outbreak came at enormous cost to American businesses. But the damage borne by African American entrepreneurs has been especially significant. Paul Solman reports on how black business owners…
Making Sen$e Jun 04 American skyscrapers face an uncertain future amid coronavirus Fears of the coronavirus pandemic and the sharp shifts by companies to allow employees to work from home could devastate the nation’s office skyscrapers, some economists say. But real estate moguls say the office as we know it isn't dead…
Making Sen$e May 28 Could the pandemic usher in a new era of working from home? Many Americans are working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, and it’s unclear when people will or should return to the workplace. The shift toward more remote work could have significant repercussions for employees, companies and the marketplace. Economics correspondent…
Making Sen$e May 21 How the pandemic has pushed U.S. retail toward the brink of collapse For more than two months, the toll of unemployment in the U.S. has grown each week. The retail sector, which was already struggling before the pandemic, is among the hardest hit, with stores closed or at reduced capacity and consumers…
Making Sen$e May 14 What’s the key to U.S. economic recovery? Testing, says this Nobel Prize winner As millions more Americans file for unemployment amid an economy crippled by COVID-19, many states are lifting restrictions and reopening businesses. But is that the correct approach to reviving the U.S. economy? Paul Solman talks to Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul…
Making Sen$e May 07 For many Americans, health coverage is tied to a job — and now they have neither Consequences of the unemployment driven by the novel coronavirus pandemic will reverberate through the U.S. economy for months, if not years. One result: as millions of Americans lose their jobs, they are also losing their health care coverage -- and…
Making Sen$e Apr 30 More Americans are going hungry amid economic crisis — and many can’t get help The current economic crisis means rising demand for food stamps. While Congress has passed additional benefits for some recipients, a large percentage of the poorest households did not get an increase. Meanwhile, many people, from college students now at home…