Author: Jessica Menton, USA TODAY

The number of Americans who are seeking unemployment benefits remains high as the U.S. halts reopening the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Lower mortgage rates provide relief for potential homebuyers, but there’s a catch: there aren’t enough houses on the market to keep up with demand. So potential buyers are facing an affordability crunch.

Stocks posted their best quarter in decades, as government stimulus and help from the Fed helped markets start to recover from the damage of COVID-19 at the start of the year.

Stocks rose Monday after last week’s selloff as investors weighed a resurgence in coronavirus cases and the possibility of further lockdowns with hopes of more monetary stimulus.

Stocks slid Friday, as investors weighed the Fed’s move to temporarily suspend shareholder payouts by big banks ahead of a potential recession.

Stocks staged a comeback in the final trading hour Thursday, propelled by bank shares as investors weighed prospects for an economic turnaround.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin left the door open to extending the July 15 tax deadline for a second time as Americans grapple with the economic fallout from the pandemic.

About 30% of employed investors say it’s very or somewhat likely they will delay retirement due to the pandemic, according to a Wells Fargo survey.

U.S. stocks extended gains Tuesday, as investors weighed the prospects for an economic recovery as more businesses reopen.