New data showed that small business optimism rose 1.5 points to 105 in May, surpassing pre-shutdown levels. According to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), six factors in the Small Business Optimism Index improved, three were unchanged, and one fell. Capital spending plans increased...
Machine learning and artificial intelligence can help smooth business processes and eliminate reliance on paper-based and manual operations. Prashant Fuloria, COO at financial technology firm Fundbox, tells PYMNTS that when it comes to offering SMBs credit there are guiding principles about what data are most...
The rise of the gig economy exposed an issue that had plagued freelancers for ages: past-due invoices and cash flow. PYMNTS’ Gig Economy Index found that 84.5 percent of existing freelancers say they would do even more freelance work if they were paid more quickly....
There are few areas of the economy in which millions of dollars in goods and services could be received solely with an IOU. Yet, such a system prevails for the millions of U.S. businesses that engage in trade credit relationships with their business partners. One...
Small businesses have sent out a warning to the Trump administration over new tariffs being levied on Chinese goods. The White House has already imposed 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese imports, as well as double-digit duties on steel and aluminum imports. Now...
FinTech Fundbox said on Thursday (March 28) that it is expanding its partnership with Synchrony, the consumer financial services company, to make B2B credit available to the latter’s merchant client base. Synchrony already offers consumer financing to those merchants across verticals such as retail, auto...
Coming off a strong 2018, small business owners are becoming more conservative in terms of how many investments they make and how many new people they will hire. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, some of the business owners are responding to signs...
Small business owner optimism is slipping, according to a report from the AP, and economists are predicting a slowdown in economic spending in the latter part of the year. Part of the reason for the potential slowdown is that taxpayers won’t be getting the boost...
From hardware to software, from cash registers to digital wallets, the way commerce is done at smaller firms (SMBs) is changing, especially as mobile makes inroads into the way we pay. In an interview that springboarded the findings of the Retail Innovation Readiness Index, published...
