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A tax deduction business owners love is set to expire at end of 2025

Aug 20, 2024
Policy experts say the benefits of the "pass-through" deduction, part of the 2017 tax law, mostly help wealthy business owners.
In 2017, demonstrators protested the Republicans' Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which made a controversial "pass-through" deduction law.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

How businesspeople in swing state Michigan view the economy

Aug 7, 2024
Like many of their customers and colleagues, they're feeling some pain.
Darious Howard says a third of his co-workers at an auto parts plant were furloughed for longer than usual.
Nancy Marshall-Genzer/Marketplace

Small businesses are apprehensive these days

Jun 11, 2024
The NFIB reports a spike in its uncertainty index, perhaps triggered by thrifty consumers and the upcoming election.
The feeling of certainty about future business conditions has waned among merchants, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Business owners are warily stocking their inventories

May 8, 2024
With interest rate cuts uncertain, businesses owners are keeping their shelves a little leaner. But that's not necessarily a bad sign.
Businesses don't know if the Fed will cut rates this year. As a result, “they’re making decisions, in some cases, to postpone purchases until they absolutely need it,” says Dale Rogers at ASU.
Kylie Cooper/Getty Images

For some business owners, higher interest rates are a non-issue

Dec 4, 2023
The Federal Reserve has been raising interest rates for almost two years now, affecting virtually everyt;hing in the economy. But some businesses have been relatively insulated from rate hikes.
Bryan Hughes, owner of a snake removal and relocation service in Arizona, says his business isn't sensitive to how the broader economy is doing. "Our customers are largely driven by behavior of the animals," he said.
Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images

Why are businesses pessimistic about the economy?

Sep 12, 2023
In August, for the 20th straight month, business owners scored their outlook below average.
Rising labor costs and the inflation of prices for necessary goods are two factors making business owners less optimistic.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Banks are pushing more business loans. Some business owners aren’t sure they want them.

Apr 27, 2022
In the words of one business owner: "Why would I want to go into any type of expansion?"
Though commercial lending is starting to pick back up, some small businesses still have cash on hand from government relief programs.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Why business owners are stocking up on inventory

Jun 15, 2021
Supply chain bottlenecks and a booming economy are pushing business owners to create a buffer — even taking out loans to do so.
Many businesses are stocking up on goods to meet customer demands.
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images

Kat Cole's vision for a kinder capitalism

The president and COO of Focus Brands says "caring for connected stakeholders — employees, customers, vendors" is where our economic system is going.
Kat Cole, president and COO of Focus Brands, supports stakeholders, not just shareholders.
Paul Morigi/Getty Images

"We stand with the cause," but store owners fear for their livelihood

Jun 3, 2020
After some protests became destructive in several cities across the U.S., small business owners are cleaning and and trying to protect their stores.
Jaqueline Reyes with son and daughter after cleaning up after their shop from damage in Minneapolis.
Beth Pearlman/Marketplace