President Donald Trump has signed a funding bill to end a 43-day government shutdown, the longest in US history. The bill, which funds the government through January, was passed by the House in a 222-209 vote and by the Senate with support from seven Democrats and one independent. The bill includes provisions for a bipartisan budget process, funding for the SNAP program and ensures federal workers will be paid for the shutdown period.

US small-business optimism declined in October, with the National Federation of Independent Business index falling to 98.2 from 98.8 in September, driven by weaker earnings, labor shortages and concerns about the government shutdown and tariffs. Despite the index remaining above its long-term average, uncertainty remains high, particularly regarding labor quality, as 32% of owners report unfilled job openings.

Parker Hannifin has agreed to acquire Illinois-based Filtration Group from Madison Industries in a $9.25 billion deal that is expected to close over the next six to 12 months. The acquisition will significantly enhance Parker's industrial filtration capabilities and expand its global market presence. "The acquisition will create one of the largest global industrial filtration businesses," Parker CEO Jenny Parmentier says.

Robust guardrails are necessary when using AI agents in procurement to prevent financial and operational errors, writes Konstantin Dzhengozovu, co-founder and CFO of Payhawk. Key safeguards include persistent memory for recalling decisions, strict validation of pricing and economic viability, human confirmation for transactions that break rules and a single source of truth for all data. Without these controls, AI agents risk making poor decisions, such as overspending or violating compliance policies, underscoring the need for finance leaders to prioritize trustworthy and auditable automation, Dzhengozovu notes.

The Global Coalition of Fresh Produce has released a comprehensive set of briefing notes that unravels the intricate workings of the fresh produce industry worldwide and provides an in-depth look at how production, distribution and consumption are interlinked. The report highlights the industry's pivotal role in promoting food security and global sustainability to encourage informed discussion and collaboration among stakeholders. It emphasizes the need for continued innovation and policy support to tackle challenges like extreme weather, volatile trade policies and geopolitical instabilities.

B2B brands can differentiate themselves by leveraging cultural moments and trends, says Kieran Kent of Propeller Group. Kent discusses the importance of cultural storytelling in engaging decision-makers on an emotional level, noting that while buyers seek factual information, they also want to connect with the cultural zeitgeist. Kent advises brands to select cultural moments that align with their voice and audience, and to create content that has a lasting impact.

Taking the time to generate a large number of ideas, even if most of them fail, increases the likelihood of breakthrough success, writes Kyle Austin Young, a strategy consultant and author. Young suggests using AI to assist in brainstorming, evaluating ideas against a clear definition of success and trying out ideas with a low probability of success first to fail fast and reveal new opportunities.

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