The Covid crisis has had a major impact on the U.S. job market. In the early days of the pandemic, millions of people lost their jobs, causing the unemployment rate to jump from 3.5% in February 2020 to 14.7% two months later. However, jobs have since started to come back. Not all workers have returned to their jobs, though. A number of factors – including fears of contracting and spreading Covid, lingering symptoms, financial assistance from the government, and lost access to child care – have kept people from returning to work.‍

The headline figure from Thursday's report on gross domestic product (GDP) may have overstated the strength of the US economy in the fourth quarter.

European stock markets ended the day with a slight increase on Wednesday, as investors remained uncertain about the economic situation.

Retailers did not experience a particularly successful holiday shopping season.

Asian markets traded higher over the weekend as Hong Kong and mainland China resumed quarantine-free travel.