London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jun 21, 2026

Fed's Neel Kashkari says coronavirus economic recovery 'could be a long, hard road'

Fed's Neel Kashkari says coronavirus economic recovery 'could be a long, hard road'

“Barring some health-care miracle like that, it seems we’re going to have various phases of rolling flare ups,” Kashkari said, with “different parts of the economy turning back on, maybe turning back off again.”. Kashkari's comments came days after the Labor Department reported that another 6.6 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims in the past week.
Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari said Sunday he expects the path to economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic will be a “long, hard road,” pouring cold water on hopes for a “V-shaped” rebound.

Kashkari, who oversaw the Troubled Asset Relief Program that the U.S. implemented in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, said on CBS’ “Face The Nation” that expectations for a sharp, speedy recovery seem too optimistic.

“It would be wonderful if some new therapy were developed in the next couple months,” Kashkari said. “Then potentially we would have a V-shaped recovery” – a phrase describing a steep market decline followed by a galloping rally.

But “barring some health-care miracle like that, it seems we’re going to have various phases of rolling flare ups,” Kashkari said, with “different parts of the economy turning back on, maybe turning back off again.”

“This could be a long, hard road that we have ahead of us until we get to either an effective therapy or a vaccine. It’s hard to see a V-shaped recovery under that scenario,” Kashkari said.

Kashkari’s gloomy outlook came days after the Labor Department reported that another 6.6 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims in the past week. That massive spike brought the total number of jobless claims to 16 million over just three weeks, a staggering figure equivalent to about 10% of the U.S. workforce.

Other business leaders echoed Kashkari’s comments. Entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told Fox News on Sunday that he thinks recovery will come “slower” than the V-shaped model investors are hoping for.

“People are not going to feel confident right off the bat. There’s going to be a lot of trepidation. That concern is going to lead to people holding back in spending money,” Cuban said.

Another Fed president, St. Louis’ James Bullard, last Sunday offered a more positive take on the economic havoc brought by the coronavirus, saying he did not believe the U.S. economy or jobs market was in “free fall,” as some have described.

“The uptake on the unemployment insurance program is a good thing because it means you’re getting the transfers to the people that are being disrupted by this health-ordered shutdown,” Bullard said.

Kashkari also said that the $350 billion emergency funds for small businesses will not be enough to cover everyone’s needs. But he said he is “optimistic” that Congress will grant more money in the future to help keep small businesses from folding under the strain of strict social distancing measures being imposed by states to contain the spread of the virus.

“But then again, we don’t know if this support is going to be long enough,” Kashkari added, “because if we need to have different phases of shutdowns for the next several months or until we have a therapy or vaccine, we’re going to need more help than that.”

The Fed, meanwhile, is being “aggressive” in its efforts to blunt the impact of the disease, Kashkari said. The central bank announced a slew of new programs Thursday aimed at lending out as much as $2.3 trillion to businesses and governments.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Hotel Wins World’s Best Afternoon Tea Award at International Hospitality Guide La Liste
Court of Appeal Rules in Favour of Competition and Markets Authority in Phenytoin Drug Case
Chichester Waste Site Suspended After Environment Agency Finds Serious Fire and Pollution Risks
UK Appoints Chris Elmore as Special Envoy on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict
Environment Agency Fines Yorkshire Firms Nearly £470,000 for Environmental Permit Breaches
British Chambers of Commerce Says Post-Brexit Trade Deals Have Limited Economic Impact
Resident Doctors to Vote on Government Pay Offer in Ongoing NHS Dispute
UK Public Borrowing Reaches £46.3 Billion in Early Fiscal Year, Driven by Debt Interest Costs
UK Government Unveils £100 Million Package to Strengthen Fire and Rescue Response Capacity
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent Despite Easing Inflation
Met Office Extends Amber Heat Warning as Temperatures Forecast to Reach 38C Across Southern England
Prime Minister Keir Starmer Expected to Resign Amid Mounting Labour Party Pressure
UK Government Tightens Procurement Rules to Prioritise National Security and Supply Chain Resilience
National Drought Group Reviews Water Supply Risks After Dry Spring and Ongoing Heatwave
Andy Burnham Faces Leadership Speculation After Weak Local Election Results for Labour
Charity Commission Appoints Interim Managers to Barnabas Aid Amid Financial Investigation
Government Awards £27 Million Leonardo UK Contract to Maintain Military Aircraft Fleet
Environment Agency Suspends Chichester Waste Site Permit Over Fire and Pollution Risks
Border Force Seizes Record Cannabis Shipment in Major UK Criminal Network Disruption
Lloyds Banking Group to Hire 300 Artificial Intelligence Specialists in Digital Expansion Push
UK Government Introduces Alcohol Monitoring Tags for 7,000 Offenders Ahead of Summer Sporting Season
Resident Doctors in England Prepare Vote on Government Pay and Working Conditions Offer
Police Scotland Investigates Suspected Anti-Muslim Attacks in Edinburgh Following Arrest
Met Office Issues Rare Amber Extreme Heat Warning Across Southern and Eastern England
UK Government Unveils Digital Homebuying Reforms to Cut Costs and Speed Up Property Transactions
Train Driver Dies and 89 Injured in Rail Collision Near Bedford as Safety Investigation Begins
Long-Term Economic and Political Effects of Brexit Continue to Shape UK Policymaking
Digital Disinformation Emerges as a Growing National Security Challenge in the United Kingdom
Britain's Dependence on Global Energy Routes Drives Push for More Resilient Supply Chains
Rising Energy Costs Continue to Threaten Britain's Cost-of-Living Recovery
Concerns Grow Over Far-Right Organizing and AI-Driven Online Radicalization in Britain
UK-Led Global Partnerships Conference Calls for Reform of International Development Finance
Middle East Tensions Continue to Weigh on UK Business Confidence
Reports of Middle East Peace Deal Ease Pressure on UK Energy Prices
UK Warns Middle East Conflict Could Worsen Global Food Insecurity
UK Economy Loses Momentum After Strong Start to 2026
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75% Despite Easing Inflation
Brexit's Legacy Remains Deeply Divisive Ten Years After the UK Voted to Leave the European Union
International Anti-War Conference Opens in London as Debate Over European Rearmament Intensifies
UK Health Authorities Introduce Drug Price Concessions Amid Record NHS Medicine Shortages
Sir David Attenborough Supports Sherwood Forest Conservation Efforts After Loss of Major Oak
Aardman Animations Marks 50 Years With Major Exhibition in Bristol
Drax Cleared After Investigation Into Wood Pellet Sourcing Practices
Jaguar Land Rover Shifts Toward Hybrid Vehicle Production for US Export Strategy
UK Police Arrest Liberal Democrat MP Cameron Thomas on Suspicion of Assault
Health Concerns Grow Over Elevated Kidney Cancer Rates Near Lancashire PFAS Factory
Royal Navy F-35 Jets Conduct First NATO Air Warfare Exercise from Finnish Airspace
UK NHS Issues Price Concessions for Medicines Amid Severe Drug Shortages
Heathrow Third Runway Project Faces Sharp Downward Revision in Expected Economic Benefits
Amber Heat Warning Issued Across Parts of England and Wales as Temperatures Rise
×