Meanwhile, as retail layoffs continued to mount, the pandemic triggered a wave of casualties across the sector as nine companies went bankrupt in late April through mid-May, according to an S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis. This includes high-profile filings by brick-and-mortar retailers J.Crew Group Inc., Stage Stores Inc. and Neiman Marcus Group Inc. —Read the full article from S&P Global Market Intelligence Dining out: April US restaurant sales fell nearly 50% amid widespread closures U.S. restaurant and bar sales plummeted nearly 50% in April as coronavirus business restrictions continued to keep dining rooms shuttered and most people wary of public spaces. The sales decline brought spending at eating and drinking places to its lowest level since October 1984, according to the National Restaurant Association. Meanwhile, more than 5 million food service employees lost their jobs in April.