U.S. Economy

How coronavirus changed the retail landscape

The coronavirus pandemic accelerated a major shift in the retail industry. Traffic to stores evaporated. Online credit-card transactions soared. E-commerce sales in the second quarter rose by 44.5% compared with the same period in 2019 and they now make up 16% of all U.S. retail sales, according to the Commerce Department.

Business leaders feel sidelined in COVID-19 recovery in NYC

New York City's business leaders have looked for ways to help the city during its looming financial crisis, as they have done previously in tough times, but some say they haven't found much of a partner in Mayor Bill de Blasio.