Washington races to help independent businesses at risk of failure
by Jeffry Bartash
Market Watch
Trump administration officials vow to launch a massive new loan program for small businesses by Friday in a frenetic effort to prevent them from laying off workers or going out of business as the coronavirus pandemic shuts down large segments of the economy.
The $2 trillion bipartisan financial-rescue package signed by President Trump two days ago includes $350 billion in desperately needed relief for small-company operators whose sales have plunged or whose businesses have been ordered closed. Many could fail if the widespread disruptions to the economy persist for more than a month.