Small business sales in the U.S. rose slightly in April, according to the latest Fiserv Small Business Index released by Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE: FI). The seasonally adjusted Index increased by one point to 151, reflecting a 0.4% month-over-month increase in sales and a 3.2% increase year-over-year. The report highlights a shift in consumer behavior as buyers continue to prioritize essential goods and services while cutting back on discretionary spending. “Even as consumer spending shows resiliency, market uncertainties appear to be driving budget-conscious consumers to reprioritize where they spend their money,” said Prasanna Dhore, Chief Data Officer at Fiserv. “Small businesses…
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This post is part of a series sponsored by AgentSync. Distribution channel management relies on real-time producer data For insurance organizations looking to optimize their distribution channel management, having access to accurate, up-to-the-day producer data across multiple systems isn’t just a “nice to have.” If you’re working with a tech stack that includes everything from agent onboarding systems to policy admin systems to commission and compensation management systems, your producers’ information likely lives in several places that require manual updates and cross-referencing. Manual and repetitive data entry isn’t ideal for anyone, much less so for insurance carriers and their large…
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(From left) Jennie, Cardi B, Jodie Turner Smith, and S. Coups during the 2025 edition of the MET Gala. Images: AP The 2025 edition of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala — best known as the Met Gala — is a celebration of star power and a smattering of Black culture. Celebrities, fashion personalities, and special guests came in their respective takes on this year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” or Black dandyism. According to Vogue, Black dandyism is a cultural movement defined by people of African descent who use fashion as a way of “challenging stereotypes”…
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by Mitti Hicks May 5, 2025 While the document did not list how much funding would be cut, ACH was responsible for $154 million in grants and contracts last year According to an email mistakenly made public, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to end more than a dozen university grants to improve Head Start and childcare policy. The leaked document lists more than 150 research projects the HHS plans to terminate, according to The Associated Press. Many of these grants help to improve the lives of low-income children and families. “These grants are aimed at…
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Image by Sebastian Scholz When you think about home security, the living room might not be the first place you worry about. But it should be. It’s the heart of the home, the space where we unwind, entertain guests, and often keep our most valuable electronics, and it’s usually one of the first rooms an intruder targets. Fortunately, turning your living room into a high-tech stronghold doesn’t require bars on the windows or an off-putting alarm system blaring at every bump in the night. Smart-home technology has advanced rapidly, and today’s security tools blend seamlessly into your décor while quietly…
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Shoemaker Skechers announced on Monday that it had agreed to be acquired by investment firm 3G Capital in a $9.4 billion deal that would take the company private after nearly three decades as a public entity. It’s the biggest-ever deal in the footwear industry and was unanimously approved by the Skechers board of directors. The transaction will close in the third quarter of this year and be funded by a combination of cash from 3G Capital as well as debt financing from JPMorgan Chase Bank, per Bloomberg. 3G Capital has agreed to pay $63 per share, a 30% premium to…
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The first wave of WNBA preseason games over the weekend also brought the first big wave of training camp roster cuts. Due to the limited number of roster spots on WNBA teams and the salary cap restrictions, many WNBA training camp attendees don’t make teams. Teams will sign anywhere from 18-21 (ish) players to camp, and cut their rosters down to 11-12 by the time the season starts. Most teams will wait until after their first preseason game to begin to trim down their roster, at least getting a look at everyone before making decisions. One move that bucked that…
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Did you know that a pill you likely already have in your medicine cabinet could help stop cancer from spreading? That’s right — aspirin, the little white tablet you pop for headaches or to keep your heart healthy, does more than you think. Scientists are discovering that aspirin could help your body fight cancer, especially when it tries to move to new places in your body. This movement is called metastasis, and it’s what makes cancer so dangerous. In fact, metastasis is responsible for nine out of 10 cancer deaths.1 Finding a way to stop it could save lives —…
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File photo MANILA – The low pressure area (LPA) located 455 kilometers north of Kalayaan, Palawan as of 3 a.m. Tuesday is no longer affecting the country, a forecaster said. “This (LPA) is now almost at the boundary of PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility) and is about to exit. It has no direct effect on any part of the country,” Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Chenel Dominguez said. READ: 2 tropical cyclones may form this month — Pagasa However, PAGASA forecast the easterlies to bring scattered rains and thunderstorms across Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao Region. Moderate to heavy rains in those areas…
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At RSA Conference 2025, one theme echoed across the show floor: security teams don’t need more alerts—they need more certainty. As threats move faster and operations get leaner, organizations are shifting from reactive investigation to proactive, automated forensics. That’s why we’re excited to announce a major leap forward in Cisco XDR: automated forensics built into the detection and response workflow. The Modern SOC Struggles with Confidence, Not Just Complexity It’s no longer about just identifying suspicious activity. Today’s security tools can surface anomalies such as a rogue login, a strange process, or a lateral movement attempt. The real challenge? Proving what happened—and how…