National

Target Sales Jump in First Quarter

Retailer Target Corp. saw sales rise 10.8 percent year over year during the first quarter as shoppers flocked its stores and website at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. Digital sales skyrocketed 141 percent year over year, while store sales… more

Jobless Claims Dip, but Picture Far From Pretty

Just more than 2.4 million filed unemployment claims during the week ended May 16, which was an improvement of 249,000 from the prior week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. However, with that addition there have been about 39… more

CDC Releases Reopening Guidelines

Increased COVID-19 testing is stressed in a new Centers for Disease report on how the country should reopen in the wake of the virus' spread across the a nation. Based on the results of the testing, coupled with the efforts… more

Hopeful Metrics on COVID-19 as of May 20

Health-care executives across the nation, like their counterparts in elective office, are anxiously studying metrics on the COVID-19 pandemic as states lift restrictions on business activity. They might take some measure of comfort from the latest statistics on the spread… more

‘Panic Shopping’ Boosts Walmart

Walmart reported strong sales and profits during its most recent quarter due to a surge in sales due to consumers wanting to stock up on household goods during the COVID-19 pandemic. Same-store sales rose 10 percent year over year at… more

Mortgage Applications Rose Last Week

Mortgage applications rose six percent last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, possibly pointing to a home-buying recovery. Meanwhile, purchase volume dropped 1.5 percent year over year, a major recovery from six weeks ago, when… more

FTC: Watch Out for Contact-Tracing Scams

The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers about contract-tracing scams sent out via text message.  It says that government health departments will send out a text message simply letting one know that they will call. Scan texts will ask for… more

$19B Farmer Relief Detailed

The Department of Agriculture released details on how the $19 billion in relief for farmers will be given out to recipients. Farmers that have suffered a loss of five percent or more are eligible for up to $250,000 per person.… more

J. C. Penney Closing 30 Percent of Stores

In another blow to the retail real estate industry, retailer JCPenney plans to pare back its store count by 30 percent, or 240 stores. It will leave it with about 600 total stores. The company, which operates seven stores and… more

Construction Industry Lost 975,000K Jobs Last Month

April's unemployment rate hit a dismal 14.7 percent, and the construction industry was no different. It lost 975,000 jobs over the month, in an industry that was having trouble finding workers before COVID-19 hit. Though other industries faced a tougher… more