Hi there,

Happy Monday! Here's what we're watching in business and tech news this week: 

• Covid-19 hotspots like New York, Detroit, and New Orleans will hit the peak of their outbreaks this week, according to new models from the White House. The number of new cases globally jumped by more than 100,000 in a single day for the first time — a third of which were in the US. More than 1.3M people globally have been infected as of today, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. In China, Wuhan will be lifting its mass lockdown starting Wednesday, allowing healthy individuals (as deemed so by officials) to leave the city and encouraging businesses to resume operations.
   

• Look for the Fed to release minutes from its March 3 and March 15 meetings, when it slashed interest rates to near zero, on Wednesday. While the minutes are unlikely to reveal new economic insights due to the rapidly changing climate, they may bring context around the Fed’s willingness to exercise its authority in reviving the economy.
   

• Keep an eye out for Quibi’s new releases. The short-form video platform debuted 51 shows today, with casts including Chrissy Teigen, Queen Latifah, and Jennifer Lopez. The service says it plans to launch approximately 175 new shows in its first year.
   

• As this week ramps up to be one of the worst in terms of contagion, expect medical incumbents and telemedicine startups to scramble to accommodate booming telehealth demand. The $2T stimulus bill approved March 27 relaxed red tape around telehealth offerings and expanded Medicare coverage for telehealth services as well. Telemedicine provider Teladoc has reported more than 15,000 visits a day. Check out  12 telehealth startups fulfilling gaps in pandemic care here.

Money printer go brrr?
 

Central banks are increasingly considering digital currencies as cash usage declines.

We cover the future of digital money in our 2020 Blockchain Report here.

Living in the Matrix

Apple is acquiring live events streaming startup NextVR for $100M. Last week, Facebook struck a deal with UK-based AR display maker Plessey — which Apple had considered acquiring — to purchase all of its AR displays. 

We dig into Big Tech’s AR/VR ambitions in our 2020 Tech Trends report here.

Mentally and physically checked-out
 

Several retail cos are pushing toward contactless services amid the pandemic. 

From point-of-sale financing to smart shopping carts, Expert Intelligence clients can see 30+ startups streamlining store checkout here.

I love you.

P.S. We're looking for a director of strategic accounts. Take a look at the job description here.