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Happy Friday MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories:
The $600 unemployment benefit is officially going to expire, but one state is considering reinstating it
Democratic and Republican lawmakers have clashed over extending the extra $600 unemployment benefit Americans have been receiving, causing it to expire entirely.
RIP Buddy: The first dog to test positive for the coronavirus in the U.S. has died
The German shepherd’s death shows just how much we still don’t know about COVID-19 in pets
Mortgage applications for suburban homes are surging as buyers try to escape the coronavirus pandemic
These 3 COVID-19 related trends are changing the U.S. housing market, writes mortgage firm CEO Sanjiv Das.
Trump looks to extend the suspension on student-loan payments beyond October
The president’s comments to reporters came days after Senate Republicans released the HEALS Act, which would allow student-loan payments to resume in October.
What top financial advisers will tell you about creating a lasting legacy for the important people and causes in your life
Careful planning now can pass your values and goals to future generations.
Why are ‘Karens’ so angry? Videos of white women confronting Black people have taken social media by storm
Some people say these memes provide a handle on behaviors born of entitlement and privilege, while others point to economic disenfranchisement. What’s behind their rage?
Weekend reads: We’re not going to vaccinate our way out of COVID-19
Also, the coronavirus pandemic’s threat to Social Security, lively retirement destinations and an interview with PayPal’s CEO.
Clashing with Democrats, Republicans want to raise standard of proof on COVID-related lawsuits against companies
The HEALS Act’s proposed liability shield would let consumers and employees successfully sue for COVID-19 exposure only if they can prove ‘gross negligence’ or ‘willful misconduct.’
Did the extra $600 unemployment benefit stop people from job hunting? These Yale economists say they finally have an answer
Members of the Trump administration have argued that the extra $600 in unemployment benefits Americans are getting creates a disincentive to search for a new job.
Did you start a side gig during the COVID-19 pandemic? Think carefully before answering these IRS questions
The IRS will want to know whether your sideline activity is a hobby or a business.
Elsewhere on MarketWatch
Don’t buy health-care stocks if Democrats sweep the November elections, these contrarian analysts say
Most investors think that a Democratic sweep in November’s elections would be either neutral or a boost for health-care stocks, but they shouldn’t have that view, according to analysts at Capital Alpha Partners.
Biden’s running-mate search is getting ‘outsized attention’ and could even shake the stock market — here’s how
As Joe Biden’s campaign wraps up its work on picking his running mate, the effort has been drawing heightened interest for several reasons — some of them arising from 2020’s unprecedented tumult.
Consumer sentiment falls in late July as coronavirus cases rise and federal aid gets set to expire
Americans grew more worried about the economy toward the end of July after a fresh outbreak of coronavirus cases chipped away at the recovery and cast doubt on how quickly the U.S. will rebound from the worst health-care crisis in a century.
Top coronavirus doctor in Spain has a message for tourists: ‘A couple of drinks, you take off your mask, you sing and you dance, that’s a problem’
MarketWatch spoke to Dr. Vicente Soriano, expert in infectious diseases and director of the UNIR Health Sciences School & Medical Center in Madrid, to discuss the latest coronavirus developments in Spain.
‘Gold is going higher’ despite recent surge, says investor who’s managed a precious-metals fund for a quarter-century
Caesar Bryan of the Gabelli Gold Fund says investors need the yellow metal as an insurance policy against the coronavirus crisis.
Apple stock rockets to record as ‘amazingly strong’ earnings calm pandemic iPhone fears
As Apple Inc. heads for the highly anticipated launch of its first 5G-enabled phone later this year, the company just gave a confident signal that its hardware story is still very much intact.
Why the S&P 500 may now be easier to beat and what this means for your investments
Tesla would be the latest example of how inclusion in the S&P 500 weakens a company’s stock performance, writes Mark Hulbert.
