AGP Executive Report
Last update: 7 hours agoSmall Business Optimism: NFIB’s May Small Business Optimism Index slid to 95.3, with the Uncertainty Index jumping to 91—owners are still worried about inflation, taxes, labor costs, interest rates, and policy. Federal Contracting Rules: The U.S. proposes major changes to the SBA’s 8(a) program, aiming to reshape how “socially disadvantaged” status is determined, with officials saying it won’t hit big Alaska firms—an issue that matters for many minority-owned contractors. Tax Pressure on MSMEs: In Nigeria’s Cross River State, small businesses are sounding alarms about multiple, overlapping taxes and extortion-like enforcement that owners say is choking day-to-day operations. Digital Skills Push: Nigeria’s NITDA and TikTok launched Digital Commerce Labs to train SMEs to sell online and reach wider markets; New Mexico’s NM FAST also opened a free SBIR/STTR space-sector accelerator for local startups. Local Cost Crunch: California’s gas tax is set to rise to 63.4 cents per gallon on July 1, reigniting affordability fights that hit commuting-heavy small businesses. Community & Commerce: Juneteenth celebrations in Salt Lake City spotlight Black entrepreneurship with a Black Business Expo and dozens of vendors. Business Survival Signals: A Marquette brewery, Barrel + Beam, announced it’s closing after nearly nine years, citing rising costs, inflation, tariffs, and tougher conditions.
Note: AI summary from news headlines; neutral sources weighted more to help reduce bias in the result. Feedback is welcome. Please let us know if you have any comments or suggestions about the AGP Executive Report.
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