Record-breaking 6.6 million Americans apply for jobless benefits amid coronavirus crisis

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread across the United States, data shows that more than 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits during the last week of March - more than analysts had expected. It follows an already record-breaking number of claims two weeks ago - underscoring the severity of the economic shock of the pandemic and resulting lockdowns. State offices have been overwhelmed by requests, meaning many claims have yet to be processed. Economists say that more job cuts are likely, and a recession in the US is all but inevitable.