The economic impact of the coronavirus

We look at how the coronavirus is affecting financial markets, businesses, and consumer behavior and discuss what the government can do help stabilize the economy.

Listen 48:59
Trader Michael Capolino works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Stocks are opening lower on Wall Street after the Group of Seven countries held off on giving the global economy new stimulus to help it cope with the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader Michael Capolino works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Stocks are opening lower on Wall Street after the Group of Seven countries held off on giving the global economy new stimulus to help it cope with the coronavirus outbreak. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Guests: Mark Zandi, Alan Blinder

Coronavirus fears are already being felt in the economy, prompting the Federal Reserve to make emergency cuts to interest rates on Tuesday. This move appeared to fuel investor fears, causing the Dow to plummet once again, only to bounce back a bit on Wednesday. The shaky market is showing just how worried businesses, consumers, and governments are about the economic impact of the Covid-19. This hour, we’ll look at how the coronavirus is affecting the national and international economy and what tools the government has to respond. Our guests are MARK ZANDI, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics, and ALAN BLINDER, a Princeton professor and former vice-chair of the Federal Reserve.

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