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Hike: Fed raises interest rates for businesses and consumers
Seth Sandronsky RetailAs the economy grows and a low jobless rate of 4.1 percent continued for a fifth straight month, the Federal Reserve Bank under Chairman Jerome Powell took action March 21. In a statement, the U.S. central bank announced that it will "raise the target range for the federal funds rate to 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 percent. The stance of monetary policy remains accommodative, thereby supporting strong labor market conditions and a sustained return to 2 percent inflation (increased prices and decreased buying power of money)."
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Managers beware: Your employees are probably tired and anxious
Scott E. Rupp Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIn a recent study published by Robert Half on the stresses of American workers, the primary outcome suggests that we are all very tired, and it's taking a toll on our performance on the job. Most of the literal lost sleep comes from work-related anxiety, according to a simple poll by global staffing firm Accountemps.
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Adding emotional complexity to retail environments
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesRetail design today is all about creating great and unique experiences for consumers. But with so many stores, including major retail chains, employing similar tactics and strategies to lure customers, how do you make your design stand out? One approach is to incorporate layers of sensory stimuli that result in a more emotionally complex and satisfying environment for shoppers.
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Report: Family budget calculator measures US cost of living
Seth Sandronsky Recreation & LeisureAll U.S. residents have skin in this game. Just ask Elise Gould, Zane Mokhiber and Kathleen Bryant at the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a think tank based in Washington, D.C. The EPI just updated its Family Budget Calculator to reveal what families require to meet their living costs in all 3,142 counties and 611 metro areas across the nation.
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Marijuana legalization may be linked to greater pedestrian fatality rates
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Civil & GovernmentTaking a walk may have deadly consequences, and the risk appears to be greater in those states that have legal adult use of recreational marijuana. The rate of fatal injury to pedestrians has grown faster than any other vehicle-related deaths for the years of rapid legalization of marijuana. That rate increased 27 percent between 2007 and 2016, while other types of traffic deaths had decreased by 14 percent. While a direct relationship to marijuana use cannot be determined, other sources indicate that the use of marijuana is likely a factor when the driver of a vehicle is using cannabis.
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US economy grows 313,000 jobs in February
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThe U.S. hiring boom continues. The national economy added 313,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in February versus 200,000 new hires in January, while the jobless rate remained at 4.1 percent for the fifth straight month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Job growth occurred in construction, finance, manufacturing, mining, professional and business services and retail trade.
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Small-town grocery stores face big challenge
Bambi Majumdar Food & BeverageWhen Tops Friendly Markets declared bankruptcy last month, shoppers in small towns and rural areas were in a tizzy. For decades now, residents in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont have depended on Tops for their groceries. In some of these towns, Tops is the lone option for grocery shopping.
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Negotiating commercial leases: Make all offers conditional
Dale Willerton and Jeff Grandfield RetailFor many commercial tenants, negotiating a good lease or lease renewal against an experienced agent or landlord can be a challenge. While an entrepreneur focuses on marketing and managing, savvy real estate agents and brokers are specialized salespeople. Their job is to sell tenants on leasing their location at the highest possible rental rate.
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Midwest emerging as bustling tech hub
Bill Becken Science & TechnologyTech businesses are leaving Silicon Valley, literally and figuratively. But where to? As an initial answer, it was perhaps 2017's biggest business story: Amazon, the online retailer, is looking for a new urban setting as an alternative to the Seattle metro area for its second North American headquarters (HQ2).
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Tax time: Avoiding business audits
Seth Sandronsky Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementReady or not, this year's tax filing deadline is approaching quickly — April 17. And the big question for many businesses across the U.S. is how to avoid audits. If there is one thing to stress, it's this: File your business's tax forms on time or tell the Internal Revenue Service before April 17 that there will be a delay. Why? Filing late without notifying the IRS before the deadline is a red flag.
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