Measures designed to give banks and credit unions more flexibility to help customers weather the coronavirus pandemic are set to expire Dec. 31 unless Congress renews them.

The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department released a set of FAQ's aimed to clearing up misconceptions about the Main Street Lending program and encouraging more bank participation.

Mastercard Inc. is encouraging its staff to begin returning to its New York-area offices, joining other large employers seeking to bring workers back after months at home.

The San Diego bank first considered finding a buyer two years ago and had offers in early 2019. The price of the deal it finally reached in the throes of the pandemic was much lower than some earlier offers.

The humble QR code — invented for automobile manufacturing in 1994 — had been on the rise as a payment method for many years, but the pandemic expanded its use in the U.S. in some unforeseen ways.

The agency has scheduled an extra assessment of institutions' strength to incorporate more recent economic data during the pandemic.

Deal activity, already on pace for its slowest year in more than two decades, will likely remain suppressed until bankers get a handle on credit exposure and more clarity on valuations.

With only a fraction of the funds allocated being used, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank is considering tweaks to the middle-market rescue program in an appeal to lenders wary of taking on added risk.