Amazon’s Sales Jump as Coronavirus Prompts Surge in Online Shopping

Sharp increase in orders, though, taxes fulfillment centers; profit misses expectations

Consumer spending fell 7.5% in March, prompting further concerns about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the economy. Here’s why consumer spending is so important and how it can signal if the country is heading toward a recession. Photo: Getty Images Inc. reported soaring quarterly sales as homebound customers flooded it with online shopping orders, capping a string of earnings reports from big tech companies that show how the coronavirus pandemic has fueled demand for their products and services.
