Friday’s business headlines
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Here’s a look at Friday’s business headlines.
Amazon
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos told employees to cancel all meetings Friday, Juneteenth.
The day commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S.
Amazon is the latest high-profile company to instruct employees to take time off on Juneteenth.
SBA PPP loans
The Small Business Administration during the coronavirus pandemic has processed more than $4.6 billion in small business loans, saving 50 million jobs.
According to President Trump, 22% of America’s small businesses were forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic, 41% of which were black-owned businesses.
Evictions
Coronavirus-related moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures will be extended, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
People with federally-backed mortgages are now protected from evictions and foreclosures through at least August 31.
The agency said it will continue to monitor the virus and update its policies as needed.
COVID vaccine
As Moderna prepares to launch a Phase 3 trial of its COVID-19 vaccine in July, the company’s CEO says there’s a high probability that the company’s products could reach distribution in 2021.
Moderna is one of several companies using relatively new technology to create a COVID-19 vaccine.
Several other vaccine candidates are undergoing human trials in July.