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| - Wall Street fell early Monday as Congress wrangled over a massive stimulus package while the Federal Reserve unveiled new emergency programs to boost the economy including with unlimited bond buying. About 45 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.6 percent at 19,053.17, and the broad-based S&P 500 also fell 0.6 percent to 2,290.31 after regaining some ground lost just after the open. However, the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index turned positive, adding 0.7 percent to 6,925.11. Last week saw US indices suffer their worst week since 2008 amid forecasts of a deep US and global economic contraction due to mass layoffs as business activity shuts down due to the coronavirus. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Monday he would meet with leaders of both parties later Monday to advance a multi-trillion-dollar Senate proposal after the measure was halted in a procedural vote Sunday night. "My message is this needs to get done today," Mnuchin told CNBC. Warning of severe economic disruptions due to the virus, the Fed announced it will buy unlimited amounts of US Treasury debt -- essentially printing money for the economy -- as well as new steps to lend directly to small- and medium-sized companies that have been among the hardest-hit as economic activity dries up. The Fed said it also plans to soon announce a "Main Street Business Lending Program," and pledged it "will continue to use it full range of tools to support the flow of credit to households and businesses." Monday was the first session since the New York Stock Exchange suspended floor trading due to the coronavirus outbreak, pushing all transactions onto electronic platforms. jmb/hs
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