OFFBEAT MAIL

Uncertainty over economic conditions may drag small businesses across America into recession. This fear was reflected in the October 2012 report of the National Federation of Independent Business, which showed that 38 percent of the respondents viewed the problem as critical.  The cost of health insurance, another factor that caused worry among the respondents, topped the same survey at 52 percent. Tied for the number three spot are issues that impinge on the cost of fuel and uncertainty over government actions, which garnered 35 percent each. Other worries of small businesses are unreasonable government regulations, 34 percent; imposition of federal taxes on business income, 30 percent; and  tax complicity, 29 percent. While other factors include frequent changes to federal rules, property taxes, and state taxes on business income, with 24 percent each. "At the beginning of next year, federal tax increases and spending cuts equivalent to 15 percent of the GDP will autom...

Economic turmoil in Europe, slower growth in China and U.S. unemployment are expected to curb business travel growth in the United States through the end of the year, according to the latest GBTA BTI™ Outlook – United States, a report from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) sponsored by Visa, Inc. With disappointing job gains and the upcoming Presidential election on the horizon, businesses appear to be taking a cautious approach to their investment in travel until there is greater economic certainty.   GBTA now expects total U.S. business travel spending to grow 2.6 percent for 2012, reaching $257 billion by the end of the year. While this is a moderate increase since last quarter, when GBTA estimated growth for 2012 at 2.2 percent, the uptick in spend is largely being driven by rising business travel costs. Total business trip volume is expected to reach 438.1 million for 2012 – a reduction of -1.6 percent from 2011, when total business trip volume was 445 million....