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((This March 18 story, corrects headline and first paragraph to say aid requested was $325, not $455 billion.))

U.S. manufacturing activity contracted less than expected in March, but disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic pushed new orders received by factories to an 11-year low, reinforcing economists' views that the economy was in recession.

Kroger Co's comparable sales surged about 30% in March as consumers stockpiled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the grocer said it had borrowed $1 billion to boost its cash reserve as it prepared for any fallout from the health crisis.

A Swiss distillery has converted its production of pear schnapps to make disinfectant hand gel for use against the coronavirus.

With auto showrooms shut during the coronavirus pandemic, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV on Wednesday reported a 10% drop in U.S. quarterly sales and moved to juice demand with bigger discount and a program allowing customers to buy vehicles entirely online.

The Dow Jones tumbled more than 700 points on Wednesday as investors fled to safe-haven assets after new orders for U.S.-made goods plunged to an 11-year low and private payrolls fell for the first time since 2017.

U.S. construction spending unexpectedly fell in February and could decline further as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on the economy.

The dollar advanced on Wednesday, with markets staring at what looked likely to be one of the worst economic contractions in decades as the world confronts the coronavirus pandemic.

Kroger Co's comparable sales surged about 30% in March as consumers cleared off shelves in preparation for a lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and had borrowed $1 billion to boost liquidity, the grocer said on Wednesday.

U.S. private payrolls dropped in March for the first time in 2-1/2 years, likely as businesses shut down in compliance with strict measures to contain the coronavirus epidemic, supporting economists' views that the longest employment boom in history probably ended last month.

The U.S. manufacturing sector contracted in March, with activity hitting its lowest level since 2009, as the coronavirus pandemic caused widespread shortages, a survey confirmed on Wednesday.

Oil fell towards $25 a barrel on Wednesday, within sight of its lowest in 18 years, as a report showing a big rise in U.S. inventories and a widening rift within OPEC heightened oversupply concerns.

U.S. stock indexes tumbled at the open on Wednesday, as investors fled to safe-haven assets following the first slide in U.S. private payrolls since 2017 and dire predictions on the U.S. death toll from the coronavirus.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV on Wednesday posted a 10% drop in first-quarter auto sales in the United States, as the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak hurt demand and halted production from mid-March.

French supermarket retailer Carrefour and Uber Eats said on Wednesday they would launch a new delivery service aimed at helping Parisians buy essential goods and food during the nationwide lockdown triggered by the coronavirus crisis.

Wall Street was set to open sharply lower on Wednesday, as dire predictions on the U.S. death toll and worsening economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic led investors to ditch equities for safe-haven assets.

As soon as New York officials began detailing their response to the coronavirus, Matt Preis knew his staff might be in trouble.

Deutsche Bank is discussing whether it will waive bonuses for its management board in 2020 due to the fallout from the coronavirus crisis, a person with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

U.S. private payrolls dropped in March for the first time in 2-1/2 years, likely as businesses shut down in compliance with strict measures by authorities to contain the coronavirus pandemic, supporting economists' views that the longest employment boom in history probably ended last month.

The German government stands ready to take over Condor as a deal for the airline to be bought by Polish rival LOT is likely to collapse in the industry turmoil caused by the coronavirus crisis, several people familiar with the matter told Reuters.