Russian drone strikes leave 60,000 without power in Ukraine
Russian drone attacks on power facilities in northern and southern Ukraine overnight left nearly 60,000 people without electricity, with President Vol...
U.S. small-business confidence reached its highest level in nearly 3-1/2 years in November, driven by post-election euphoria. According to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the Small Business Optimism Index surged as owners became more optimistic about the economy and expansion
U.S. small-business confidence surged to its highest level in nearly 3-1/2 years in November, buoyed by post-election optimism. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reported on Tuesday that its Small Business Optimism Index jumped by 8.0 points to 101.7 last month, the highest since June 2021. Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential race and his Republican Party’s control of the U.S. Congress in the recent elections were expected to boost confidence among small business owners, who traditionally lean Republican. Other sentiment surveys, including the University of Michigan’s, have also seen improvements in the aftermath of the November 5 election, albeit divided along party lines.
The proportion of small business owners expecting the economy to improve surged by 41 points to 36%, the largest increase since June 2020. The number saying now is a good time to expand their business reached levels last seen nearly 3-1/2 years ago. More businesses anticipated higher sales growth, while the share of those naming inflation as their main concern fell.
The survey’s uncertainty index dropped by 12 points from a record high of 110 in October. Labor remains tight in small businesses, especially in sectors like transportation, construction, and professional services. The proportion of businesses planning to hire more workers increased by 3 points to 18%, the highest in a year. Around 32% of owners reported raising compensation, up one point from October. The share planning to increase pay over the next three months jumped 5 points to 28%, the highest level this year. About 28% planned price hikes, up 2 points from October.
"Wage hikes are essential to maintaining current employment levels and helping to fill vacancies," said Bill Dunkelberg, the chief economist at the NFIB.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
YouTube TV and Fox have reached a distribution agreement that will keep Fox News, Fox Sports and other Fox channels available to subscribers, the companies confirmed on Thursday.
The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at record highs on Thursday (28 August), after Nvidia’s quarterly report fell short of investors’ lofty expectations but confirmed that demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure remains strong.
Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he intends to convene a summit of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in October, local media reported on Wednesday.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported on Tuesday that G20 countries’ international goods trade rose slightly in the second quarter of 2025, mainly because imports into the United States fell sharply after rising in the first quarter.
The S&P 500 closed lower on Monday (25 August) as investors turned their attention to Artificial Intelligence (AI) chipmaker Nvidia’s upcoming quarterly results, following Friday’s rally that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average close at a record high.
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