March 2020

NEW YORK (AP) — Stock indexes bounced around in early trading Tuesday as investors try to regroup from a punishing day of losses.

Markets remain highly volatile a day after their worst loss in three decades as traders remain uncertain about how badly the coronavirus will hit the economy.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped more than 600 points in early trading, fell 200, then was nearly unchanged after the first half-hour of trading. lt lost nearly 3,000 points a day earlier after President Donald Trump said a recession may be on the way.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers sharply increased the number of jobs they advertised in January, a sign the job market and economy were in mostly solid shape before the virus outbreak hit.

Businesses, nonprofits and government agencies posted nearly 7 million open jobs in January, up 6.3% from the previous month. Hiring slowed, while the number of people quitting their jobs was largely unchanged.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump wants the government to send checks to Americans in the next two weeks in an effort to curb the economic cost of the coronavirus outbreak, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday.

“The president has instructed me we have to do this now,” he said at the White House briefing. He didn’t give details except to say the amount should be significant and millionaires would not get it.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

The United Way of Southwest Louisiana is bracing for the Coronavirus impact. The worldwide agency is in touch with state and national leaders about the global pandemic.

SWLA United Way is warning the community that scam artists are trying to take advantage of nonprofits and consumers during the heightened attention to the coronavirus.