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Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

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Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

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Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45

1

Analysts expected oil to surge above $200 but China has quietly kept prices half of that—and can’t for much longer

2

Corporate America has been draining the world's water. Matt Damon's new campaign calls on Gap, Starbucks, and Amazon to help give it back

3

Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
PoliticsCoronavirus

Trump administration says it wants to get cash to Americans ‘immediately’

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
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By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 17, 2020, 12:33 PM ET

Subscribe to Fortune’s Outbreak newsletter for a daily roundup of stories on the coronavirus outbreak and its impact on global business.

Americans could see some financial help from the government in the next few weeks.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking Tuesday at a White House coronavirus update, said the Trump administration wants to get emergency funds to citizens as soon as possible.

“Americans need cash now,” said Mnuchin. “I mean now—in the next two weeks.”

The details of the payout are still being worked out. Mnuchin said the administration is currently discussing details with senators. PBS reported the White House is pushing for $1,000 per person.

The news of payouts comes as stocks continue to fluctuate wildly. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged on news of the possible payouts.

Health and government officials have urged consumers to stay home, and avoid gathering in groups of more than 10. That advice could slow the spread of the virus, but it’s devastating for businesses, many of which have had to close temporarily or lay off workers.

The payout could help those people (and members of the gig economy) for whom cashflow is fast becoming an issue.

To date, there are 3,536 confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus in the United States, according to the World Health Organization.

More must-read stories from Fortune:

—How to prepare your personal finances for a coronavirus recession
—Why the world’s stock markets kept going quiet last week
—The Fed made a bold move to calm shaky markets. But is it enough?
—Why return CEOs are usually bad news for a company’s stock
—Dormant PayPal Credit accounts are coming back to hurt credit scores

Subscribe to Fortune’s Bull Sheet for no-nonsense finance news and analysis daily.

About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

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