The US government entered its first shutdown nearly seven years after Congress missed the midnight funding deadline, halting all but essential government functions. Agencies have begun implementing shutdown protocols, impacting hundreds of thousands of federal workers and disrupting public services nationwide. The situation remains unresolved as both parties remain at odds over health care subsidies, raising concerns that the closure could extend for weeks.

US consumer confidence fell for a second straight month in September, with the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index dropping to 94.2, a decrease of 3.6 points from August and the lowest reading since April. Short-term expectations for income, business conditions and the job market declined, and expectations of a recession increased to its highest level since May. Inflation and prices remain top concerns.

First Brands Group, an automotive parts supplier, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to stabilize its US business operations and address more than $10 billion in liabilities. The company has secured $1.1 billion in debtor-in-possession financing to help maintain operations, fulfill orders and meet vendor and partner obligations as it restructures.

US delivery companies are expected to handle 2.3 billion packages this holiday season, a 5% increase from 2024, according to a ShipMatrix forecast. The forecast notes that Amazon and FedEx will likely see 5% to 8% increases in parcel volume, while UPS and the US Postal Service are expected to remain flat.

Companies that follow a four-pronged approach outlined by Om Prakash, senior procurement project manager at PIP Global Safety, can mitigate the impact of tariffs on supply chains as global tariff rates reach levels not seen since the early 20th century. The strategy involves trade compliance, engineering solutions, sourcing strategies and commercial tactics, and can reduce tariff-related costs by up to 80%, writes Prakash, who also notes that recent trade policy changes have caught many companies off guard, and that a systematic, cross-functional approach is essential for long-term resilience.

Ensuring workers are adequately protected in extreme temperatures and risky situations requires balancing safety, comfort and functionality -- something that's often difficult with bulky or restrictive gear. A group of safety experts from various industries look at the potential future of PPE, noting that if it interferes with job performance or comfort, workers may avoid using it, posing risks that safety professionals must proactively manage.

Optimizing B2B landing pages to reduce friction and increase conversions involves displaying immediate value, customizing content to niche audiences, refining benefit-oriented calls to action, having fast load times and including social proof, writes Tim Toole. Marketers should also use data-driven personalization, simplify navigation and align landing pages with the broader marketing funnel, Toole writes.

US job openings increased by 19,000 to 7.227 million in August, according to the latest Labor Department report. While the overall job openings rate held steady at 4.3%, sector-specific changes included a decrease of 115,000 openings in construction and a rise of 106,000 in accommodation and food services. Retailers and state and local government also saw more vacancies, while federal government openings fell by 61,000 amid spending cuts. The ratio of job openings to unemployed persons dipped below one, highlighting softening labor demand.

The Federal Reserve has resumed interest-rate cuts to address a stalled job market, but lower rates alone might not be sufficient to quickly revive hiring. Businesses cite issues such as high costs, tariffs and tight credit as more significant challenges than demand, and the traditional benefits of lower rates, such as rising stock prices and reduced mortgage rates, are less effective in the current environment.

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