Press Releases

NEWS For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. – In response to today’s inflation data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reported inflation increased by 1.0% in May and was 8.6% higher than last year – “the largest 12-month increase since the period ending December 1981” – Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) president […]

by Raymond J. Keating – Inflation spiked once again in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics latest report on the Consumer Price Index. Inflation has been raging since the start of 2021. In April, CPI inflation had slowed some, rising by 0.3 percent. That, of course, is still too high, but compared to […]

by Raymond J. Keating – According to the latest monthly trade report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. exports increased for the third straight month in April. Now, before we all get too excited, the data is in nominal terms, that is, there is no adjustment for inflation into real dollars. However, the […]

Is the trend in revolving credit growth healthy or not? by Raymond J. Keating – According to the Federal Reserve’s latest report, consumer credit has been expanding at a rapid pace (seasonally adjusted annual rate). Consumer credit grew by 10.1 percent in April, and that was after a 12.7 increase in March and 9.2 percent […]

No industry will be safe from government-led IP seizure. by Raymond J. Keating – Why would President Biden sign on to an effort that would undermine U.S. innovation, growth, and employment, as well as reducing critical medical treatments? It’s bizarre, but nonetheless, that’s exactly what would happen with an international effort to waive intellectual property […]

 by Raymond J. Keating – The latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book was released on June 1, offering clues on the economy from interviews with various Fed contacts. Based on information gathered on or before May 23, it was noted that “a majority” of Fed districts indicated “slight or modest growth,” with four […]

On June 2, SBE Council joined a wide array of business organizations in issuing a Global Industry Statement urging WTO members to renew the Moratorium on Customs Duties and Electronic Transmissions. Several countries, including India and South Africa, are pushing to end the moratorium. As noted in the statement: ● Allowing the Moratorium to expire […]

by Raymond J. Keating – The last two big pieces of data that we received on the state of the consumer were generally okay, especially given inflation. First quarter GDP reported a solid gain in real personal consumption expenditures (see SBE Council’s analysis), and the latest retail sales report noted sales growth in nominal terms […]

by Raymond J. Keating – Since early last year, the debate over the causes of inflation has raged almost as hot as inflation itself. How much of this bout of inflation is transitory? How much is due to the Federal Reserve running breathtakingly loose money for more than 13 years now? How much is due […]

Not only were digital economy sectors insulated from declines in other areas of the economy, but in key ways, the digital sectors – that is, entrepreneurs, small businesses and the much-maligned “Big Tech” in vital technology sectors – served as lifelines to other industries, to other entrepreneurs and workers, and to consumers. by Raymond J. […]