(Bloomberg) — U.S. President Donald Trump, in a tweet, called the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines too “tough and expensive” to reopen schools, and said he would meet with the agency to review them. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said he anticipates a “blended” program when schools reopen, with students in class two to three days a week.
New Jersey’s governor, meanwhile, said he will require the public to wear masks in outdoor crowds. And Brooks Brothers Group Inc. filed for bankruptcy, becoming the latest veteran retailer to succumb to the pandemic’s impact on clothing sales.
Britain’s finance minister unveiled a plan to save jobs, and cut taxes on property and dining out to stimulate spending. France’s new prime minister said he would back targeted restrictions to preserve the economy if the country has a second wave of infections. Violence flared in Serbia, with Belgrade facing lockdown at the weekend.
Key Developments:
Global Tracker: Cases near 11.9 million; deaths exceed 544,700U.S. plans a testing surge as latest virus data hints at shiftNew York City’s rental market is being pushed to breaking pointCruise ships risk rusting away while sitting idleThese mistakes pushed an Australian city back into lockdownWhy ‘silent spreaders’ make the virus hard to beat
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Florida Cases Climb by 4.7% (10:35 a.m. NY)
Florida reported 223,783 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, up 4.7% from a day earlier, compared with an average increase of 5% in the previous seven days. Deaths rose by 48 to 3,889, an increase of 1.2%, according to the report, which includes data through Tuesday.
Cumulative hospitalizations of Florida residents rose by 333, a 2% rise to 16,758. Meanwhile, the new rate of people testing positive for the first time fell to 14.2% for Tuesday, from 16.2% a day earlier. The median age of cases among residents fell by a year to 39.
‘Blended’ Learning in NYC Schools (10:28 a.m. NY)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he anticipates a “blended” learning program when schools reopen, with students in class two to three days a week. There will be fewer students in each classroom, and more use of large spaces for classes such as gymnasiums, city officials said Wednesday at a press conference.
Schools will offer different models depending on the space available, and families may choose all-remote learning over in-school programming.
Iran Suffers Deadliest Day (10:08 a.m. NY)
More than one-third of 200 fatalities in Iran’s deadliest day of the outbreak were reported in Tehran alone, authorities said during an emergency meeting of the country’s coronavirus taskforce. The country has recorded 12,000 fatalities from more than 248,000 known cases.
Trump Hits CDC School Regulations (9:52 a.m. NY)
U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet he disagrees with CDC’s “very tough & expensive” guidelines for opening schools. “While they want them open, they are asking schools to do very impractical things,” the president said. “I will be meeting with them!!!”
Earlier, Trump said he may cut funding if schools do not open before the November election, saying keeping them closed benefits the Democrats.
Zimbabwe Health Minister Fired Over Equipment Scam (8:54 a.m. NY)
Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa fired his health minister after he was charged with corruption related to the procurement of equipment needed to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
Murphy to Order New Jerseyans to Wear Masks Outdoors (8:47 a.m. NY)
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said he will issue an order Wednesday that the public must wear masks outdoors. The order will apply in cases where crowds are congregating, not if people are outdoors alone or with family members, Murphy said during an interview on MSNBC. He also said he will allow limited indoor dining, with more information on that to come later at a news conference.
Brooks Brothers Goes Bankrupt (8:38 a.m. NY)
Brooks Brothers filed for bankruptcy, felled by the pandemic’s impact on clothing sales and its own heavy debt load. Neiman Marcus Group Inc., J. Crew Group Inc. and John Varvatos Enterprises Inc. each filed for bankruptcy since the virus took hold.
U.K.’s Sunak Lays Out Moves to Revive U.K. Economy (8 a.m. NY)
Sunak promised to do everything he can to save jobs and pump life into the U.K. economy, cutting property sales tax and giving employers a bonus if they don’t lay off workers. Sunak also announced a reduction in sales tax for the hospitality and tourism sectors.
“We face profound economic challenges,” the Chancellor of the Exchequer told the House of Commons on Wednesday, laying out a stimulus package he intends to amplify in a budget and spending review in the fall. “In just two months our economy contracted by 25% — the same amount it grew in the previous eighteen years.”
The Treasury unveiled a 2 billion-pound ($2.5 billion) program to pay the wages of more than 200,000 young workers. Unemployment is expected to spike upwards as Sunak unwinds unprecedented government programs that are funding the salaries of more than 12 million people.
Merkel Calls for EU Solidarity to Tackle Virus Risks (7:32 a.m. NY)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the European Union needs to pull together to face the historic challenges stemming from the coronavirus crisis and changes threatening the bloc’s economic standing.
“We stand before an unknown situation of economic collapse, the worry over jobs, and for this we need the right answer,” she said on Wednesday before a scheduled address to the European Parliament. “The money we want for reconstruction won’t just be invested just to get where we were but to take a step in the future.”
Al Gore: Pandemic Can Spur Environmental Change (6:11 a.m. NY)
The global pandemic may be what’s required to address the environmental crisis once and for all, says former U.S. Vice President Al Gore.
Gore, chairman of $19.8 billion asset manager Generation Investment Management, said that the coronavirus is unlike anything before — a once-in-a generation opportunity to rethink, reset and redesign the global economy. “The data confirms the pandemic has triggered fundamental changes in consumer and social behavior, that’s matched by an acceleration in innovation by governments and businesses,” he said.
Iran Death Toll Passes 12,000 (6:05 a.m. NY)
Iran’s death toll from Covid-19 surpassed 12,000 as the country recorded 153 more deaths over the last 24 hours, down from a record high of 200 fatalities the day before. The number of infections rose by 2,691 to 248,379, with over 3,300 patients in intensive care units.
Authorities made wearing face masks mandatory on public transit from last week as banks and government offices were instructed to refuse service to visitors without face coverings.
U.K. Drops Tax Liability For Covid-19 Testing (5:41 p.m. HK)
Third-party Covid-19 tests by employers will no longer be treated as a taxable benefit in kind, U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said.
The announcement came as Sunak prepared to unveil a 2 billion-pound ($2.5 billion) program to pay the wages of more than 200,000 young workers as he tries to pull the U.K. economy out of the deepest slump in centuries.
Read More: Britain’s Economic Jedi Who Could Be Prime Minister
Stimulus Deal Unlikely at EU Summit, Orban Says (5:23 p.m. HK)
European Union leaders will probably fail to agree at a summit next week on a massive spending plan aimed at reviving their economies, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
Negotiations will be “very tough” and will likely need to continue throughout the summer, Orban said on Wednesday in an online panel discussion with Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
Hong Kong Infections Fuel Resurgence Fears (5:20 p.m. HK)
Hong Kong reported a second day of rising local infections, disrupting a long virus-free stretch that had allowed life in the Asian financial hub to largely return to normal.
There were 19 new local coronavirus cases reported Wednesday, Department of Health official Chuang Shuk-kwan said at a briefing.
“We are worried that there may be a major community outbreak because of so many unknown sources coming up, with new cases with unidentified source,” Chuang said.
EU Needs Mandatory Virus Tracking App, Slovenia Says (4:52 p.m. HK)
The European Union needs to make a virus-tracking digital application mandatory for citizens of the bloc as long as there’s no vaccine to treat the coronavirus, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa said.
An app is the only way to relax travel rules to help a devastated tourism industry while taking steps to prevent and prepare for a second wave of infection, Jansa said.
Israel Defense Minister Gantz Enters Quarantine (4:34 p.m. HK)
Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz has entered quarantine as a precautionary measure after coming into contact with a suspected coronavirus patient. Israel is in the midst of a renewed surge in virus cases after officials eased a lockdown.
French PM Pledges to Protect Economy (3:37 p.m. HK)
France’s new government would seek to preserve the economy should a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic force it to bring back lockdown measures, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Wednesday.
“We won’t survive, economically and socially, an absolute and generalized lockdown,” Castex told BFM TV and RMC radio, adding that he advocated more targeted restrictions. Separately, France’s economy is expected to contract about 9% this year, statistics institute Insee said in a report.
Earlier, director general for health Jerome Salomon said France must prepare for a second wave, urging people to wear masks and respect safe distances. Limiting travel could be one way to deal with a resurgence, Salomon said.
Violence in Serbia Over Lockdown Plans (2:41 p.m. HK)
Thousands of protesters clashed with police in Serbia’s capital of Belgrade late on Tuesday after President Aleksandar Vucic said the city will go into lockdown this weekend. The Balkan country of 7 million lifted one of Europe’s strictest lockdown regimes in May but a spike in new cases has filled hospitals to capacity.
The situation in Belgrade is “alarming,” Vucic said. “Hospitals are literally packed.”
Japan Bankruptcies Soar (2:31 p.m. HK)
A growing number of Japanese businesses are failing amid the coronavirus pandemic. Some 780 Japanese firms filed for bankruptcy in June, 148% more than the prior month and the most this year, according to Tokyo Shoko Research Ltd.
There were 94 pandemic-driven cases last month, bringing the total to 240 in the first half of the year, with sectors such as hotels and restaurants badly hit. Growing distress among businesses is in line with the record jump in bank loans and deposits in June, as companies continued to tap emergency credit facilities and hoard cash.
Norway’s Economy Grows (2:25 p.m. HK)
Norway’s economy expanded 2.4% in May from the previous month, the first increase since February, amid signs the government’s rapid response to containing the coronavirus pandemic is paying off. Though less than the 4.3% economists surveyed by Bloomberg had predicted, the data show Norway is coming back to life, after GDP shrank 4.7% in April and 6.9% in March.
Norway was one of the first countries in Europe to impose a strict lockdown, and its decision to ramp up testing early helped bring the virus under control quickly.
Tokyo New Cases Slow (2:22 p.m. HK)
Tokyo confirmed 75 cases of coronavirus Wednesday, broadcaster TBS reported, the first time in a week cases were below 100.
While fresh infections have prompted stricter measures in some places — Melbourne has been locked down for the second time in four months, and Beijing recently confined whole neighborhoods to their homes — Tokyo is taking a more muted approach, arguing that this time is different. A look at the data goes some way to back that up.
Google, Amazon Funnel Millions to Virus Conspiracy Sites: Study (1:49 p.m. HK)
Digital advertising platforms run by Google, Amazon.com Inc. and other tech companies will funnel at least $25 million to websites spreading misinformation about Covid-19 this year, according to a study released Wednesday.
Google’s platforms will provide $19 million, or $3 out of every $4 that the misinformation sites get in ad revenue. OpenX, a smaller digital ad distributor, handles about 10% of the money, while Amazon’s technology delivers roughly $1.7 million, or 7%, of the digital marketing spending these sites will receive, according to a research group called the Global Disinformation Index.
Germany’s Infection Rate Falls Further Below Key Threshold (1:24 p.m. HK)
Germany’s coronavirus infection rate remained below the key threshold of 1.0, dropping to 0.81 on Tuesday from 0.97 the previous day.
The country reported 279 new cases – and 10 fatalities – in the 24 hours through Wednesday morning, bringing the total caseload to 198,343, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. That compares with an average of 432 in the last seven days and is significantly below the almost 7,000 recorded at the peak of the pandemic in late March.
Mumbai Eases Rules on Testing (1:12 p.m. HK)
Mumbai will no longer require a doctor’s prescription from people seeking a test for coronavirus, as India’s largest city and the epicenter of its outbreak has been criticized for only managing about 4,000 tests per day.
India this week became the third-worst affected country in the world with 719,665 cases, with Mumbai seeing 86,509 infections. Municipal officials have said the relaxed guidelines aim to increase use of private labs that offer testing for a fee. Free testing at government facilities will still be limited to admitted patients.
Virus May Deal Lasting Blow to U.S. Consumer Spending (12:50 p.m. HK)
American consumers may not be prepared to return to pre-pandemic spending levels. More than 40% of people who spent money on movies, event tickets or at bars before the pandemic now plan to spend less on those activities, according to a new survey for CreditCards.com.
Meanwhile, more than 60% of small businesses say they need spending to return to normal by the end of the year to stay open, according to American Express data.
Victoria Outbreak Spreads to Australian Capital Territory (12:36 p.m. HK)
The outbreak in Victoria state has spread to the Australian Capital Territory, which reported its first new cases of the virus in a month Wednesday.
Two of the three people who tested positive arrived in the ACT from a Melbourne hotspot July 2, while the third is a household contact. They visited a shopping center and markets before being tested, and authorities are urging people who also visited those places to monitor themselves for symptoms.
Apple will temporarily close all five of its stores in Victoria as stringent restrictions come into effect, Nine News Melbourne reports, citing an Apple spokesperson.
Virus on the Retreat in Spain (12:33 p.m. HK)
While Spain’s recent regional outbreaks — particularly in Catalonia — are worrying, the number of cases is going down in most of the country, Fernando Simon, the chief epidemiologist leading the government’s battle against Covid-19, told the Financial Times in an interview.
Trump May Ban TikTok (12:06 p.m. HK)
President Donald Trump said his administration is considering banning TikTok in the U.S. to retaliate against China over its handling of the coronavirus. Trump’s comments on Tuesday came one day after Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said officials were looking at barring the app, whose parent company is China’s ByteDance Ltd.
“It’s something we’re looking at, yes,” Trump said when asked in an interview with Gray Television’s Greta Van Susteren about Pompeo’s remarks. “Look, what happened with China with this virus, what they’ve done to this country and to the entire world is disgraceful.”
Trump said banning TikTok is “one of many” ways he is looking to hit back at the Beijing government over the virus.
Beijing Records No New Cases for Second Day (8:42 a.m. HK)
The capital city also reported zero new suspected or asymptomatic cases Tuesday, the Beijing Municipal Health Commission said in a statement.
U.S. Plans Testing Surge in Three States (8:34 a.m. HK)
The federal government is ramping up coronavirus testing in Louisiana, Texas and Florida as health officials attempt to get a firm grasp on how the fast-moving pandemic is evolving. Eight temporary testing sites will each perform as many as 5,000 free tests a day, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.
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