1) The coronavirus economic troubles has reached out to touch social security. The social security is financed by the payroll tax, those social security deductions on worker’s paycheck and the SSI employers pay for each worker. With a little over 30 million people now unemployed, one out of every six American workers, the monies needed by the government to send out social security checks has been drastically reduced. But the government’s obligation has not been cut, they are sending out the same amount each month, so the government must spend monies they get from other sources. The social security program is the largest single source of federal spending, which is now even more shakier than before.
2) More states are beginning the process of relaxing restrictions on businesses and shut down orders. About half of the states are retracting closing orders for businesses deemed nonessential allowing them to open for business again. The states are using a patchwork of strategies to reopen, based on the type of business and how their operations expose the public to infection of the virus. Two states with large populations, Texas and Ohio, have joined in the reopening process. States are feeling enormous pressure to restart businesses and restore social life, mostly in the South, Midwest and mountain West leading the way. There are big questions if the reopening is too early, that the waning virus infection might suddenly erupt in force.
3) American colleges and universities are also facing crippling financial difficulties from the coronavirus impact, with some small colleges already closing. They are having to bear the cost of having to suddenly shift to online classes, giving partial reimbursements of room and board, plus deferring summer secession without a change in their fixed cost of operations. Many experts considering the college education system is being forever changed in America.
4) Stock market closings for – 1 MAY 20:
Dow 23,723.69 down 622.03
Nasdaq 8,604.95 down 284.60
S&P 500 2,830.71 down 81.72
10 Year Yield: up at 0.64%
Oil: down at $19.69