The rate cut follows a larger half-point reduction in September, and it reflects the Fed’s renewed focus on supporting the job market as well as fighting inflation, which now barely exceeds the central bank’s 2% target.... Read More
The Small Business Administration said it backed $56 billion in financing to small businesses and disaster-affected areas during the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, up 7% from a year prior. The growth was driven by smaller loans, the agency said.... Read More
School districts currently work with processing companies to offer cashless payment systems for families. But the companies can charge “processing fees” for each transaction.... Read More
Aircraft assembly workers at Boeing factories near Seattle and elsewhere voted to end a seven-week strike overnight. Organized labor has made itself heard over the past couple of years, and the number of actions taken by unions has soared.... Read More
Unionized factory workers at Boeing were voting Monday whether to accept a contract offer or to continue their strike, which has lasted more than seven weeks and shut down production of most Boeing passenger planes.... Read More
No one knows how Tuesday's presidential election will turn out, but the Federal Reserve's move two days later is much easier to predict: With inflation continuing to cool, the Fed is set to cut interest rates for a second time this year.... Read More
America’s employers added just 12,000 jobs in October, a total that economists say was held down by the effects of strikes and hurricanes that left many workers temporarily off payrolls. ... Read More
Google is changing the way its Google Local Services ads work, which could affect millions of small businesses. Starting Nov. 21, only businesses with a verified Google Business Profile will be able to run the ads.... Read More
A growing number of companies are bringing automation to agriculture. It could ease the sector’s deepening labor shortage, help farmers manage costs, and protect workers from extreme heat. But many small farmers and producers aren’t convinced.... Read More
The Labor Department reported Thursday that applications for jobless claims fell by by 15,000 to 227,000 for the week of Oct. 19. That’s less than the 241,000 analysts forecast.... Read More
