All work and no play

Tracking the economic recovery

Though some lockdowns are being lifted, economies are not roaring back

LAST MONTH The Economist coined the term "90% economy" to describe what will happen as lockdowns are eased across the world. It depicts a more solitary and less fun sort of society—the sort of place where the office is open but the pub isn’t. Analysis by Tang Jie of Peking University finds that weekday subway trips in China have recovered to a greater extent than weekend ones, suggesting that people are more prepared to travel for work than for pleasure. Sales of instant noodles, savoured by homebodies, have rocketed. Meanwhile, some American states have started to lift lockdowns, but there is little sign of economies roaring back.

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This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline "Economic recovery"