Yahoo Small Business Advisor: News for Growing Businesses

US companies challenging contraception mandate

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:00:51 -0400

Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. is challenging the part of the federal health care law that requires for-profit companies to offer employees health coverage that includes products the business owners find morally objectionable, such as certain types of contraception.

Entrepreneurship hits new high in 2012

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:10:53 -0400

U.S. entrepreneurship during 2012 climbed to its highest level in more than a decade, according to a report released Wednesday from Babson College and Baruch College.

Made in the USA back in style for small businesses

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:17:45 -0400

When Martin Rawls-Meehan started making adjustable beds in 2004, it was a foregone conclusion that key parts would be made overseas. It was cheaper to manufacture in Taiwan than in the U.S. And from Taiwan it was easier to ship to customers in Asia.

Fox show brings messy workplaces to television

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:16:21 -0400

This time "you're fired" is more than a Donald Trump catchphrase. Fox is turning the firing of real people from real jobs into prime-time entertainment starting this week.

Obama seeks to make acting GSA head permanent

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:54:19 -0400

The White House says President Barack Obama will nominate Dan Tangherlini to run the General Services Administration, the agency in charge of federal buildings and supplies.

Senate panel approves immigration bill

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:34:11 -0400

Far-reaching legislation to grant a chance at citizenship to millions of immigrants living illegally in the United States cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on a solid bipartisan vote Tuesday night after supporters somberly sidestepped a controversy over the rights of gay spouses.

NM changing its plans for health exchange

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:45:26 -0400

New Mexico is switching gears on its plan for a health insurance exchange and initially will partner with the federal government for computer services needed for an online insurance marketplace.

Small businesses' credit is improving, survey says

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:01:12 -0400

Small businesses improved their credit during the first three months of the year, with the biggest gains coming in the western part of the country, according to a survey released Tuesday.

SBA starting new lending program for veterans

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:03:38 -0400

The Small Business Administration says it has lined up pledges from more than 120 banks to increase lending to veterans.

Get Started: Immigration, Keystone pipeline

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:20:08 -0400

KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE

China sentences underground bank operator to death

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:45:29 -0400

A businesswoman in southern China has been sentenced to death on charges of defrauding investors as the government tightens controls on informal financing that is widely used by entrepreneurs.

Death sentence in Chinese underground bank case

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:38:47 -0400

A businesswoman in southern China has been sentenced to death on charges of defrauding investors as the government tightens controls on informal financing that is widely used by entrepreneurs.

Canada trying to lure Silicon Valley tech workers

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:29:24 -0400

The Canadian government has launched an aggressive campaign to lure Silicon Valley tech workers frustrated by U.S. visa policies northward, just as Congress wrestles with a long-sought overhaul of America's immigration system.

Rising consumer demands aids organic industry sway

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:43:24 -0400

The organic food industry is gaining influence on Capitol Hill, prompted by its entry into traditional farm states and by increasing consumer demand.

Obama focuses on job creation in Baltimore visit

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:39:09 -0400

President Barack Obama left behind scandal-focused Washington on Friday to focus on the country's slowly improving jobs picture.

Unemployment falls in 40 US states, rises in 3

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:36:33 -0400

Solid hiring helped lower unemployment rates in 40 U.S. states last month, the most since November. The declines show the job market is improving throughout most of the country.

Ousted IRS chief regrets treatment of tea party

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:36:04 -0400

The ousted head of the Internal Revenue Service apologized to Congress on Friday for his agency's tougher treatment of tea party and other conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. He said they resulted from a misguided effort to handle a flood of applications, not political bias.

The IRS and its tea party tempest

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:35:11 -0400

The Internal Revenue Service is feeling the sort of heat that targeted taxpayers feel from the tax agency. It's the sense that a powerful someone is breathing down your neck.

Wal-Mart U.S. sales weak; outlook below analysts' forecast

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:48:26 -0400

By Jessica Wohl (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc posted weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings on Thursday due to poor U.S. sales and said its profit for this quarter might also miss Wall Street's forecast. Everything from pressure on shoppers to a cool start to spring led to an unexpected 1.4 percent drop in sales at Walmart U.S. stores open at least a year. (Graphic on Wal-Mart earnings http://link.reuters.com/qan28t) Consumers with lower incomes have been especially squeezed by higher payroll taxes, consistently elevated gas prices and a shaky employment recovery. ...

Retiring boomers driving sales of small businesses

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:02:27 -0400

Baby boomers preparing for retirement are driving a surge in small business sales, as they find more and more buyers confident enough in the improving economy to expand their own businesses through acquisitions.

Asia stocks up as US small business mood improves

Wed, 15 May 2013 01:22:19 -0400

Enthusiasm on Wall Street sparked by another positive report on the U.S. economy helped push most Asian stock markets higher Wednesday.

Business Highlights

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:38:30 -0400

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Portsmouth shipyard exempt from furloughs

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:07:51 -0400

Workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard will be exempt from the Defense Department's plan to furlough about 680,000 of its civilian employees for 11 days through the end of the fiscal year.

Report says more woes for Appalachian coal mining

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:06:55 -0400

Hard times are expected to continue in the Appalachian region that was once the heart of the nation's coal production, according to a new report.

Senate panel approves massive farm bill

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:51:40 -0400

The Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday approved a massive five-year farm bill that would cut spending while also creating new subsidies for farmers.

RIM unveils cheaper BlackBerry

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:07:43 -0400

Research In Motion unveiled a lower-cost BlackBerry aimed at consumers in emerging markets on Tuesday, and said it will offer its once-popular BlackBerry Messenger service on iPhones and devices running Google's Android software.

Honda to produce new Acura NSX in US

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:05:59 -0400

Honda's new version of its Acura NSX sports car will be produced at a new plant inside one of the automaker's former facilities in central Ohio, Honda said Tuesday.

BlackBerry CEO unveils 'slim, sleek' new version

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:34:32 -0400

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. unveiled a lower-cost BlackBerry aimed at consumers in emerging markets, stepping up its efforts to regain market share lost to Apple's iPhone and Android devices powered by Google's software.

US small business owners slightly more upbeat

Tue, 14 May 2013 08:03:53 -0400

American small business owners were a little more optimistic during April but are generally still cautious.

Small business optimism rises to six-month high

Tue, 14 May 2013 07:56:30 -0400

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A gauge of confidence for small businesses rose in April to its highest in six months, a sign of resilience in an economy beset by Washington's austerity drive. The National Federation of Independent Business said on Tuesday its Small Business Optimism Index rose 2.6 points to 92.1, the highest reading since October. About half the gain was because businesses expect better business conditions over the next six months. Firms also were more optimistic about creating jobs and about sales. ...

Small business owners slightly more upbeat

Tue, 14 May 2013 07:32:21 -0400

Small business owners were a little more optimistic during April but are generally still cautious.

Smallest businesses still struggle with financing

Tue, 14 May 2013 06:12:04 -0400

The nation's smallest businesses are still treading water because they're struggling to raise financing, according to a survey released Tuesday.

High-tech pushes for more in immigration bill

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:52:45 -0400

High-tech companies looking to bring more skilled workers to the U.S. pushed Monday for more concessions in an immigration bill pending in the Senate. Labor unions said the Silicon Valley had already gotten enough in the legislation and further changes risked chipping away at protections for U.S. workers.

Warmer temperatures help S. Dakota farmers

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:22:34 -0400

Warmer weather across South Dakota helped farmers make good progress on their crops last week.

IRS assured Congress Tea Party not targeted

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:14:47 -0400

When members of Congress repeatedly raised concerns with the Internal Revenue Service about complaints that Tea Party groups were being harassed last year, a deputy IRS commissioner took the lead in assuring lawmakers that the additional scrutiny was a legitimate part of the screening process.

Get Started: Health care hearing; online seminars

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:12:32 -0400

HEALTH CARE TAX

Good news for NYC newsstands? Price cap could rise

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:37:30 -0400

The newsstands that dot the city's sidewalks would be able to stock cellphone chargers, offer more batteries and, perhaps most importantly, upgrade their umbrellas under a proposal broached Monday to double a price cap on their wares.

More small companies getting loans, credit

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:23:22 -0400

Small businesses in the Northeast are getting more loans, though many still feel that their growth is hindered by a lack of access to cash, according to a survey released Monday.

High court rules for Monsanto in patent case

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:01:53 -0400

The Supreme Court has sustained Monsanto Co.'s claim that an Indiana farmer violated the company's patents on soybean seeds that are resistant to its weed-killer.

ECB's Draghi says no call for G7 central banks to do more

Sat, 11 May 2013 09:02:26 -0400

By David Milliken AYLESBURY, England (Reuters) - Major central banks did not face calls to do more to boost the world economy when Group of Seven finance officials met on Saturday, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said. Before the meeting Britain's finance minister, George Osborne, said ministers would "consider what more monetary activism can do to support the recovery" - something that he is keen for the Bank of England to do. But Draghi said the ECB, which cut interest rates to a record low last week, did not come under pressure to take further steps. ...