Welcome to a regular snapshot-review of U.S. and international economic news that aims to 1) provide a window into the challenges and decisions facing businesses today, 2) determine the direction of economic policy — such as the speed at which central banks decide to raise interest rates, and 3) assess what the impact will be for consumers. — COVID Hospitalizations Down In Latest Weekly Data The Centers for Disease Control reported this week that the number of patients newly admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 averaged 6,112 between July 27 and August 2, a 4.4% drop compared to the previous week.