Small businesses

Biden has pledged to provide additional resources for small businesses. Business owners say the type of aid matters.

As the year draws to a close, small business owners are starting to figure out their tax liabilities for 2020. That's complicated for businesses that got Paycheck Protection Program loans.

Two PPP recipients discuss their relief loans and the challenges of staying open through the pandemic.

The decline in unemployment has slowed since an early rebound from the first wave of COVID-19 shutdowns.

The central bank dropped the minimum loan amount under its Main Street Lending Program to $100,000. But not many businesses feel confident taking out loans they'll have to repay in five years.

A survey from the NFIB finds optimism at pre-pandemic levels, but not necessarily for businesses in the service sector like restaurants and retail shops.

Many furloughed workers are hoping to return to their old jobs.

Many nightclubs have had to shut down or limit partying to outdoor areas.

Eric Rosengren says that the Fed's Main Street Lending Program started off slow, but interest in borrowing has increased.

"Without a robust small business economy, we can’t envision any kind of meaningful recovery," one expert says.