Second Stimulus Payment Could Deliver Cash Even Faster

Congress is poised to approve a second round of stimulus payments for U.S. households, and money could reach many Americans faster this time. 


 
Gold Nears Record Amid Haven Buying

The price of the most-actively traded gold contract closed just below a high, punctuating a furious rally driven by investors seeking refuge from the coronavirus. 


 
China Fortifies Hong Kong's Role as Financial Powerhouse

Beijing is wagering that its crackdown on the former British colony won't undermine foreign-investment flows, as business with the mainland flourishes. "I don't think it means the death of Hong Kong, but it makes for a very different Hong Kong than the one we've known." 


 
China Says It Will Have a Covid-19 Vaccine Ready This Year

China's state-owned Sinopharm, one of the first Chinese projects to start testing its Covid-19 vaccine candidates overseas, said it would have a vaccine ready for the public before the end of the year. 


 
U.K. Consumer Confidence Remains at Depressed Levels

Consumer confidence in the U.K. remained at depressed levels in July despite the reopening of entertainment venues such as pubs and restaurants early in the month. 


 
U.K. Gilt Yields Scrape Rock Bottom on Economic Pessimism

The U.K. government's borrowing costs are hovering near all-time lows as concerns about the economy's prospects push investors to buy assets perceived as havens. 


 
U.S. Stocks Slide as Jobless Claims Edge Up

Major indexes fell after new unemployment claims posted their first week-on-week rise since March, raising concerns that mounting coronavirus infections could slow the economic recovery. 


 
Senate Republicans' Coronavirus Plan Delayed Over Disagreements

Senate Republicans scrapped their plans to release a proposal for the next coronavirus relief bill Thursday after continued differences with the White House on unemployment insurance and direct cash payments. 


 
CFTC Scales Back Oversight of Cross-Border Swaps Trading

The U.S. derivatives regulator voted to abandon its effort to regulate trading that happens overseas, where it had worried that interconnections between big banks in the global market could transmit risk to the U.S. economy. 


 
Rise in Unemployment Claims Points to Faltering Jobs Recovery

New applications for unemployment benefits rose for the first time in nearly four months to 1.4 million as some states rolled back reopenings because of the pandemic, a sign the jobs recovery could be faltering.