Five years ago, one of the largest utilities in the U.S. put $8 billion into a bet that natural gas would dominate American electricity much like coal had in the past. The fracking boom had made the fuel abundant and cheap, hastening coal’s decline, while wind and solar had higher costs and lower reliability. Now those expansive time horizons are in doubt. There are flashing signs that the U.S. power sector is approaching peak gas, with demand topping out decades ahead of schedule. —David E. Rovella

Bloomberg is mapping the pandemic globally and across America. For the latest news, sign up for our Covid-19 podcast and daily newsletter.

Here are today’s top stories

Stocks rose Friday, but the chance of a second coronavirus bailout before the election are again remote. And with last night’s more traditional presidential debate over, the final sprint by former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump to an unprecedented election day is here. Also at stake on Nov. 3? The value of the dollar.

Universal masking in the U.S. could save some 130,000 lives by the end of February, a new analysis says. That same figure is the minimum number of lives that would have been saved already had the Trump administration not botched its response to the pandemic, according to Columbia University research. The U.S. leads the world in coronavirus deaths (223,000) and infections (8.4 million). Daily new infections in the U.S. have now surpassed 70,000, the most since July, and New York has again reached 1,000 hospitalizations. European nations also continue to break infection records. But as vaccine developers encounter obstacles during clinical trials, there is some progress in the development of treatments for the coronavirus. Here is the latest on the pandemic.

A medical professional prepares to unload Covid-19 patients at the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx on April 6. The hardest hit city in America, New York is seeing a new spike in hospitalizations.

Photographer: John Moore/Getty Images North America

High-earning employees at Wells Fargo (they make $250,000 or more) were told on Wednesday that the company would stop matching their 401(k) contributions. By Friday, the bank reversed course in the face of an internal uproar.

PayPal Holdings is exploring acquisitions of cryptocurrency companies including Bitcoin custodian BitGo, a move that would expand its new embrace of digital coins.

Some of the biggest U.S. companies have voiced support for the fight against global warming, giving money to lawmakers seeking to promote sustainability. But many of those companies funnel a lot more cash to politicians bent on blocking efforts to save the planet. Bloomberg reveals which companies are trying to have it both ways.

A federal judge ordered the U.S. Postal Service to reassemble mail sorting machines ordered removed by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a Trump megadonor. But the court conceded it may be too late, while Democrats allege a continuing Republican strategy to disrupt the vote. The Associated Press reported that first-class delivery goals are going unmet all across the country, particularly in parts of battleground states that traditionally lean Democratic.

Louis DeJoy

Photographer: Tom Brenner/Reuters/Bloomberg

America’s youngest workers started the year with a rare opportunity to slingshot their careers in the hottest job market in decades. They’ll end 2020 facing some of the nation’s bleakest employment prospects.

What you’ll need to know tomorrow

• This chasm in U.S. credit markets is swallowing small companies.
• Tesla recalls about 30,000 imported Model S and Model X vehicles.
• Floods, drought are destroying crops and sparking food inflation.
• Russia reportedly has a secret chemical weapons program.
• These are the criminal and civil legal threats Trump faces if he loses.
• Big city rents are plummeting: Here’s how you should negotiate.
• Landlords challenge U.S. eviction ban, continue to oust renters.

Paid Post Meet The Bed, by Thuma. Combining elevated design, quality craftsmanship, and modern convenience, The Bed is sturdy and quiet, with functional, intentional details for how you live. Complete with a lifetime warranty, The Bed ships free and assembles with no tools in minutes. Thuma

What you’ll want to read in Bloomberg Pursuits

Chefs Are Adapting Menus to Outdoor Dining

Goldman Sachs says that 45F (7.2C) is the temperature below which demand for outdoor restaurant seating will collapse. Beyond physical comfort, the weather can take a quick toll on the food, too. Now some chefs are getting creative when it comes to dining al fresco in winter.

Like Bloomberg’s Evening Briefing? Subscribe to Bloomberg All Access and get much, much more. You’ll receive our unmatched global news coverage and two in-depth daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close.

The pandemic is roiling trade and supply chains that drive the global economy. Arm yourself with the latest developments—sign up to get Bloomberg’s Supply Lines newsletter in your inbox daily.

Download the Bloomberg app: It’s available for iOS and Android.

Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal. Find out more about how the Terminal delivers information and analysis that financial professionals can’t find anywhere else. Learn more.