Treasury

SBA draws fire with plan to allow bigger firms to win federal contracts

Levels for eligibility will rise tenfold or more in professional services, information technology, engineering and other business categories, an attorney at Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt said.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 9, 2026

Inflation, weaker sales erode small business optimism: NFIB survey

The U.S.-Iran war “has escalated the cost of energy, which raises the price of almost everything,” the National Federation of Independent Business said.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 8, 2026

Hiring beats forecasts, enabling Fed to focus on curbing inflation

Soon-to-be-released inflation “reports have the power to decide whether the Fed hikes or holds,” Fifth Third Commercial Bank Chief U.S. Economist Bill Adams said.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 4, 2026

Services sector expands faster than forecast: ISM survey

Strength in the services sector bolsters forecasts that the U.S. economy will expand slightly more than 2% this year, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 3, 2026

Economy grows ‘modestly,’ with consumers wary of rising prices: Fed

“Input price pressures were notably elevated in manufacturing and construction,” the Fed said in a survey of its 12 district banks.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 2, 2026

Job openings inch up as hiring slows, affirming labor market stability

Steady employment gives the Federal Reserve some leeway to raise the federal funds rate should inflation fail to fall toward their 2% target.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 1, 2026

Warsh pledges to slow inflation to 2%, saying Fed may have ‘work to do’

The comments by Warsh prompted futures traders to increase the odds that policymakers next month will push up the main interest rate.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 28, 2026

Only 35% of finance leaders confidently gauge ROI from AI: Protiviti

Among finance organizations, only 14% are deploying AI based on a detailed strategy, Protiviti found in a global survey.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 27, 2026

Inflation holds steady, giving Fed room to leave main rate unchanged

Despite an increase in disposable income, personal consumption expenditures rose just 0.2% last month compared with a 0.4% gain in June.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 26, 2026

Consumer confidence wanes on dimming view of jobs, incomes, business

Most consumers expect higher inflation and anticipate that interest rates will rise in the next 12 months, The Conference Board said.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 25, 2026

Firms may shrink healthcare plans to avoid 11.1% cost bump, WTW says

Companies are considering trimming their healthcare costs by restricting eligibility and having workers cover more out-of-pocket expenses, experts say. 

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Aug. 21, 2026

US business activity surges to 52-month high: S&P Global

Strong business investment and high equity prices will likely fuel 2.1% economic growth this year, Goldman Sachs said.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 21, 2026

Many Fed officials flagged inflation threat, possible need to hike rates

“Recent labor demand and consumer spending data suggest that the economy is healthy enough for a rate hike,” Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, said.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 19, 2026

US manufacturing grows at steady pace, led by business equipment: Fed

Industrial production in July, while falling short of forecasts, aligned with expectations of slower but sustained economic growth.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 18, 2026

Executives put the spotlight on AI’s reliability issue

Only 35% of leaders say AI consistently delivers business outcomes, earns regulator confidence and allows control, according to a report from HFS Research and TCS.

By Makenzie Holland • Aug. 18, 2026

Most consumers save no money as inflation erodes buying power: EY

The share of credit card balances delinquent for more than 90 days rose to 12.8% in the first quarter of this year from 7.6% in the third quarter of 2022, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 17, 2026

Retail sales fall 0.6% as consumers see inflation eroding buying power

Only 8% of consumers believe their incomes will grow faster than inflation in the current year, a 10 percentage point decline from December 2024, according to a University of Michigan survey.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 14, 2026

Inflation dips, affirming Fed decision to keep interest rates steady

By the end of 2026 inflation will probably cool to 2.7% due to declining costs for transportation and healthcare, LPL Financial Chief Economist Jeffrey Roach said.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 12, 2026

Small business optimism rebounds to highest level since Aug. 2025: NFIB

Small businesses last month scaled back both actual and planned price increases for the first time this year, the National Federation of Independent Business said.

By Jim Tyson • Aug. 11, 2026

Former acting IRS head warns of tax compliance ‘race to the bottom’

The tax agency has faced steep budget cuts since Douglas O’Donnell stepped down from serving as acting commissioner in early 2025.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • Aug. 7, 2026

Finance, treasury leaders keep eye on payment visibility, TCH exec says

For finance and treasury leaders, how to gain deeper visibility into their payment rails and processes is top of mind, TCH’S Rich Dooley said.

By Grace Noto • July 30, 2026

Fed holds benchmark rate steady in vote with three dissents

The central bank held the main interest rate steady in a 9-3 vote after a two-day meeting.

By Grace Noto • Updated July 29, 2026

US coworking expands as monthly desk price ticks down

The median U.S. monthly cost of an open workspace and dedicated desk ticked down to $219 in the second quarter, according to a Yardi report.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • July 28, 2026

US business activity, confidence surge to 8-month high: S&P Global

While U.S. exports fell this month, July 4 celebrations and the World Cup competition spurred domestic demand, S&P Global said.

By Jim Tyson • July 24, 2026

What CFOs should know about family offices

While not a homogenous group, family offices are a growing source of capital that can be more “patient” than private equity, EY’s Catherine Fankhauser says.

By Maura Webber Sadovi • July 24, 2026