A closed shopping mall is seen in Lima, Ohio on March 24, 2020 amidst the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Megan JELINGER/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
By Christopher Rugaber
A record-long streak of U.S. job growth ended suddenly in March after nearly a decade as employers cut 701,000 jobs because of the viral outbreak that's all but shut down the U.S. economy. The unemployment rate jumped to 4.4% from a 50-year low of 3.5%.
Last month's actual job loss was likely even larger because the government surveyed employers before the heaviest layoffs hit in the past two week. Nearly 10 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits in the last two weeks of March, far exceeding the figure for any corresponding period on record.
Virus-induced shutdowns have forced widespread layoffs throughout the economy, from hotels, restaurants and movie theaters to auto factories, department stores and administrative offices.
One sign of how painfully deep the job losses will likely prove to be: During its nearly decade-long hiring streak, the U.S. economy added 22.8 million jobs. Economists expect the April jobs report being released in early May to show that all those jobs will have been lost.
Dylan Douglas, host of 'Young American with Dylan Douglas,' joins Cheddar to reveal how Gen Z is feeling about the election and what issues matter most to them.
Priceline CEO, Brett Keller, joins Cheddar to discuss the latest travel trends and how Hurricanes Helene & Milton have affected those flying south. Watch!
Hyperice CEO, Jim Heuther, joins Cheddar to discuss the company's latest product collaboration with Nike. Find out how it is helping your favorite athletes.
Founder, Chairman and Principal Analyst of Constellation Research Inc., Ray Wang, reveals how Tesla's Robotaxi is going to disrupt the transportation industry.
Have Taylor Swift fans dubbed Flava Flav as King of the Swifties? Plus, his new partnership with Old Spice and if he will ever go back to the Olympics. Watch!
Education Reporter for The Wall Street Journal, Doug Belkin, discusses his latest piece and delves into why incoming freshmen are preferring southern schools.