The National Federation of Small Businesses announced on Tuesday that its survey of 1,495 small businesses showed increased optimism during July. This measure represents an about face from its 15-month low reached in June. This data point joins other indicators, such as car sales, employment statistics and service provider information to show a slow but… Continue Reading
A study conducted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, a trade group for the burgeoning drone industry, investigated what businesses are increasingly using drones to improve efficiency and the bottom line. Of the 500 first permits granted to drone operators by the Federal Aviation Administration, 153 were granted to drone operators who use… Continue Reading
Honeywell International, manufacturer of automation and control solutions products, announced it will buy Britain’s Melrose Industries’ utility consumption meter business. The deal is estimated to be valued at $5.14 billion. The purchase will help Honeywell to improve its presence in several high-growth regions. Shares of Melrose grew 6 percent in early Tuesday trading, making it… Continue Reading
Data from a new survey points to a growing shortage of skilled labor in the United States, paving the way for a rise in wages in the coming months. According to the National Association for Business Economics survey 35 percent of the 112 economists asked said that their companies had experienced a shortage of skilled… Continue Reading
Lack of progress on reaching an agreement with Canada on new guidelines for agricultural trade has frustrated the US to the point that negotiators are considering moving ahead without Canada. One observer explained that Canada is not moving forward to find a way to lower its barriers to agricultural trade in the context of creating… Continue Reading
Taken as a single country, the US economy is still the world’s biggest, with China coming in a very close second. However, as a single entity, the countries comprising the European Union actually surpass the size of the US economy, making it a key player in the world’s marketplace. One economist, Joseph P. Quinlan, the… Continue Reading
In the wake of the senseless massacre of nine African Americans in their historic church in South Carolina last week, Governor Nikki Haley has said that she will ask that the Confederate flag be removed from flying over from the capital. Other southern states, which have been flying the flag, a symbol of racism and… Continue Reading
According to the June 22 edition of Barron’s, a US financial magazine, the stocks of four of America’s leading airlines could rise anywhere from 15 to 50 percent. Driving the upswing are lowered fuel prices and shrinking competition. Barron’s looked at the 2015 forecast for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the four… Continue Reading
July 1st will be the opening day of a brand new exhibition entitled, “American Enterprise” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. The exhibit will explore the history of business in the US, its positive side as well as its negative aspects. According to Smithsonian sources, visitors “will be immersed in the dramatic arc… Continue Reading
Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio revealed a new law that would make it illegal for US companies to engage in financial transactions with the Cuban military. Rubio is a Cuban American, and has also announced his candidacy for president in 2016. His campaing has featured a loud opposition to the new policy recently established by… Continue Reading