Newly released economic data showed the US
economy is in a terrible state and may not rebound quickly even when the devastating lockdowns imposed to stop the
Coronavirus pandemic are lifted.
Data tracking industrial production and the vital retail sector released Friday showed record declines in April, the first full month of lockdowns to stop the spread of COVID-19 virus that has killed nearly 86,000 people and caused around 36.5 million people to lose their jobs in the world's largest economy.
With millions of people filing new claims for unemployment benefits every week since the lockdowns began in mid-March, analysts fear the US faces a months-long slog out of the downturn, with no shortage of possible setbacks.