JPMorgan Chase

Banks cutting back on branch services — or closing stores outright — to slow spread of coronavirus; Trump administration to halt foreclosures as pandemic worsens; Wells Fargo hires TD's Ellen Patterson as general counsel; and more from this week's most-read stories.

From paying $1,000 bonuses to branch employees to subsidizing child care expenses, banks are offering a slew of new perks for front-line employees still working and more paid leave for those who are ill or caring for sick family members.

JPMorgan Chase plans to make special payments to lower-paid employees and branch workers who don't have the ability to do their jobs from home.

Utah bank is expected to launch next year; banks want to hold off regulations that would hamper efforts to keep money flowing during virus crisis.

The biggest bank in the U.S. will temporarily close 20% of its branches, following recommendations by health experts. It said it would also operate its remaining branches at reduced hours.

JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup told employees if they can work from home to begin doing so this week, escalating efforts to prevent the deadly coronavirus from spreading among staff.

The banks — including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citigroup — agreed to stop buying back their own shares through the second quarter, saying they will focus on supporting clients and the nation during the coronavirus pandemic.

The biggest U.S. banks are once again preparing to show how they'll be able to withstand a severe economic shock in a hypothetical doomsday scenario, and they're eager to get on with it as a real one unfolds.

JPMorgan Chase is planning to implement a staggered work-from-home plan for its New York-area employees to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. The plan applies to most corporate employees, but not to branch workers or traders.

Concerns about the economic fallout of coronavirus have mostly focused on supply chain disruptions. But fears are growing that weakening consumer demand could spark a recession.