US economy showing 'encouraging signs': White House

"If the economy recovers slower than we expect, then it's possible we'll have to put some more cash in there and we stand ready to talk about that with Congress, but right now we think you should monitor the data," economic advisor Kevin Hassett said on CNBC.

The world's largest economy is showing "a lot of encouraging signs," he said, citing data shared by private companies with President Donald Trump's administration.

Congress has already moved to provide $2.9 trillion - or about 14 percent of US gross domestic product - in spending to households, businesses and states and local governments facing the virus. On Friday, Democrats in the House of Representatives passed the largest-ever economic rescue package totaling $3 trillion, but it has few prospects in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Sunday the recovery from the downturn could stretch through the end of 2021, but Hassett said he disagreed with that estimate.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2020

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