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Business Wire
a day ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Postbot Launches Pay-As-You-Go AI Receptionist to Simplify Small Business Communications
BUSINESS WIRE)--Postbot, an innovative AI startup, today announced the launch of its groundbreaking AI receptionist service, designed to transform how small businesses manage customer calls. "Never miss a call again — Postbot's 24/7 AI Receptionist answers every customer with a friendly, intelligent voice for just $0.25 a minute. No setup. No commitment. Just results." With no setup fees, no monthly subscriptions, and a straightforward pay-as-you-go model at just $0.25 per call minute, Postbot offers an accessible solution for businesses seeking to enhance customer engagement without the overhead of traditional staffing. Postbot's AI receptionist provides each business with a dedicated inbound phone number, ensuring that every call is answered promptly and professionally. Leveraging advanced natural language processing, the AI system reads and understands information directly from a business's website, enabling it to answer frequently asked questions, provide essential information, and even send appointment booking links via text message—all without human intervention. "In an era where customer expectations are higher than ever, small businesses can't afford to miss calls," said J. Douchet, CEO of Postbot. "Our AI receptionist ensures that every customer interaction is handled efficiently, professionally, and cost-effectively." Key Features of Postbot: Instant Setup: Businesses can get started in seconds, with the AI system automatically configuring itself by analyzing the company's website content. 24/7 Availability: Postbot operates around the clock, ensuring that no call goes unanswered, even outside of regular business hours. Natural Language Interaction: The AI communicates with callers in a natural, conversational manner, providing a seamless customer experience. Multilingual Support: Postbot supports multiple languages, catering to a diverse customer base. Compliance Ready: Designed with HIPAA and GDPR compliance in mind, Postbot is suitable for businesses in regulated industries. Since its soft launch, Postbot has been adopted by clients across various sectors, including healthcare, legal, wellness, and home services. The service has garnered praise for its ease of use, reliability, and the immediate value it provides to small business owners. Postbot has been selected as an upcoming startup by Goldman Sach's 10,000 Small Business, Nvidia's Inception Program, Nasdaq's Connection Circle and as an AI vendor of University of Florida's Mentor Protege Program. To learn more about Postbot and to activate your AI receptionist today, visit To open your FREE Postbot AI Receptionist, visit
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion - Even without a recession, Trump's tariffs will be painful
Most economic forecasters lowered their projections for U.S. economic growth this year and increased the odds of a recession in the wake of President Trump's 'Liberation Day' announcement on Apr. 2. This assessment appeared reasonable, considering the tariff hikes were much larger than expected, and both consumer and business confidence readings had plummeted. Subsequently, Trump delayed implementation of reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, except in the case of China against whom tariffs were hiked to 145 percent. The economic data released last week provided the first 'hard' evidence about how the economy was faring leading up to April 2 and soon after. They show the economy was on solid footing when the avalanche of tariffs was announced. Some press reports interpreted the headline number for first quarter real GDP of minus 0.3 percent annualized as a sign of economic weakness. However, that mainly reflected how U.S. businesses anticipated tariff hikes by front-loading imports, an act that reduces net GDP. Imports surged by 41 percent at an annual rate and also showed up as increases in business inventories and equipment purchases. The jobs report for April provided the initial reading of how the economy had been faring as of mid-April, and it was stronger than expected. Non-farm payrolls increased by 177,000 while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2 percent. Amid all of this, the U.S. stock market recouped the losses it had sustained after Apr. 2. The principal reason is that investors are hopeful that the economy will be bolstered as bilateral trade deals are announced before Jul. 9. There is also optimism about China entering trade talks with the U.S., although the caveat is that the U.S. must first cancel the tariffs that were imposed on it. However, investors should keep two things in mind. First, there are lags between the announcement of tariffs and when they are felt by businesses and households. Price hikes associated with tariffs are not pervasive thus far, and Goldman Sach's economists believe it could take two or three months before they are. Meanwhile, supply shortages are expected to materialize this month as Bloomberg reports. That is when the pain from tariffs will first be felt by consumers. Second, even if some trade agreements are announced, they are likely to be 'agreements in principle.' In a research report to clients, Andy Lapierre of Piper Sandler wrote that most if not all of the forthcoming 'deals' are likely to be communiques that outline key sticking points. His expectation is that few, if any of them, will roll back existing tariffs. Trade agreements that require legislation are more complex, as numerous details must be worked out. They typically require about 18 months to complete on average according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Even then, the universal 10 percent increase in tariffs will still apply. Duties on Chinese goods are also higher than the 60 percent rate that Donald Trump campaigned on, which many investors considered it to be the worst outcome prior to April 2. For these reasons, I remain skeptical that valuations for U.S. equities can stay at their current elevated levels when the worst trade war since the 1930s is at hand. With the S&P 500 index down by about 5 percent this year, it is not pricing in an economic slowdown. For example, Wall Street analysts' consensus earnings growth for the S&P 500 this year is only marginally lower than last year's 10.5 percent according to FactSet. Yet, because earnings are highly levered to the economy, they could decline markedly if there is a slowdown. Furthermore, a surge in defaults cannot be ruled out due to a buildup in bank and nonbank credit to some companies. That said, a U.S. recession may not materialize this year considering how resilient the U.S. economy has been in recent years. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, the economy rebounded after businesses reopened, and both fiscal and monetary policies provided added impetus. Thereafter, the economy defied forecasts calling for a recession when the Federal Reserve raised interest rates from zero to 5.5 percent during 2022 and 2023. The main difference this time is that economic policies will not be as accommodative as during the 2008 Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. With inflation above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target and likely headed higher due to tariffs, the Fed will probably wait for evidence that the job market is weakening before it eases monetary policy. Moreover, as long as inflation stays sticky, it will not have flexibility to lower rates as quickly as it did in the last two shocks. Similarly, fiscal policy will not be as supportive this time due to budgetary constraints. Congressional Republicans currently are targeting cuts in federal spending of $1.5 trillion over ten years, and they may cut Medicaid spending to attain that goal. The main counter-cyclical policy tool Republicans can deploy would be tax cuts. Yet, as the Wall Street Journal reports, the extension of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act is by far the largest part of the tax legislation they are trying to complete by Jul. 4. Even if it is enacted, it would not reduce current tax rates. Amid all of this, the IMF's world economic projections in April call for U.S. growth to slow by a full percentage point this year to 1.8 percent, down from its October forecast of 2.2 percent. Meanwhile, U.S. inflation is projected to rise to 3 percent, a full percentage-point increase from the January forecast. If so, the tariffs that Trump is contemplating would inflict greater damage on the U.S. economy than on other industrial economies. Finally, while the U.S. may avoid a recession this year, the risk of one increases the longer the trade war lasts. Accordingly, investors should be prepared for significant collateral damage from tariff hikes that could result in lower stock prices and a weaker dollar. Nicholas Sargen, Ph.D., is an economic consultant for Fort Washington Investment Advisors and is affiliated with the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. He has authored three books including 'Global Shocks: An Investment Guide for Turbulent Markets.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Even without a recession, Trump's tariffs will be painful
Most economic forecasters lowered their projections for U.S. economic growth this year and increased the odds of a recession in the wake of President Trump's 'Liberation Day' announcement on Apr. 2. This assessment appeared reasonable, considering the tariff hikes were much larger than expected, and both consumer and business confidence readings had plummeted. Subsequently, Trump delayed implementation of reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, except in the case of China against whom tariffs were hiked to 145 percent. The economic data released last week provided the first 'hard' evidence about how the economy was faring leading up to April 2 and soon after. They show the economy was on solid footing when the avalanche of tariffs was announced. Some press reports interpreted the headline number for first quarter real GDP of minus 0.3 percent annualized as a sign of economic weakness. However, that mainly reflected how U.S. businesses anticipated tariff hikes by front-loading imports, an act that reduces net GDP. Imports surged by 41 percent at an annual rate and also showed up as increases in business inventories and equipment purchases. The jobs report for April provided the initial reading of how the economy had been faring as of mid-April, and it was stronger than expected. Non-farm payrolls increased by 177,000 while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2 percent. Amid all of this, the U.S. stock market recouped the losses it had sustained after Apr. 2. The principal reason is that investors are hopeful that the economy will be bolstered as bilateral trade deals are announced before Jul. 9. There is also optimism about China entering trade talks with the U.S., although the caveat is that the U.S. must first cancel the tariffs that were imposed on it. However, investors should keep two things in mind. First, there are lags between the announcement of tariffs and when they are felt by businesses and households. Price hikes associated with tariffs are not pervasive thus far, and Goldman Sach's economists believe it could take two or three months before they are. Meanwhile, supply shortages are expected to materialize this month as Bloomberg reports. That is when the pain from tariffs will first be felt by consumers. Second, even if some trade agreements are announced, they are likely to be 'agreements in principle.' In a research report to clients, Andy Lapierre of Piper Sandler wrote that most if not all of the forthcoming 'deals' are likely to be communiques that outline key sticking points. His expectation is that few, if any of them, will roll back existing tariffs. Trade agreements that require legislation are more complex, as numerous details must be worked out. They typically require about 18 months to complete on average according to the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Even then, the universal 10 percent increase in tariffs will still apply. Duties on Chinese goods are also higher than the 60 percent rate that Donald Trump campaigned on, which many investors considered it to be the worst outcome prior to April 2. For these reasons, I remain skeptical that valuations for U.S. equities can stay at their current elevated levels when the worst trade war since the 1930s is at hand. With the S&P 500 index down by about 5 percent this year, it is not pricing in an economic slowdown. For example, Wall Street analysts' consensus earnings growth for the S&P 500 this year is only marginally lower than last year's 10.5 percent according to FactSet. Yet, because earnings are highly levered to the economy, they could decline markedly if there is a slowdown. Furthermore, a surge in defaults cannot be ruled out due to a buildup in bank and nonbank credit to some companies. That said, a U.S. recession may not materialize this year considering how resilient the U.S. economy has been in recent years. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, the economy rebounded after businesses reopened, and both fiscal and monetary policies provided added impetus. Thereafter, the economy defied forecasts calling for a recession when the Federal Reserve raised interest rates from zero to 5.5 percent during 2022 and 2023. The main difference this time is that economic policies will not be as accommodative as during the 2008 Financial Crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. With inflation above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target and likely headed higher due to tariffs, the Fed will probably wait for evidence that the job market is weakening before it eases monetary policy. Moreover, as long as inflation stays sticky, it will not have flexibility to lower rates as quickly as it did in the last two shocks. Similarly, fiscal policy will not be as supportive this time due to budgetary constraints. Congressional Republicans currently are targeting cuts in federal spending of $1.5 trillion over ten years, and they may cut Medicaid spending to attain that goal. The main counter-cyclical policy tool Republicans can deploy would be tax cuts. Yet, as the Wall Street Journal reports, the extension of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act is by far the largest part of the tax legislation they are trying to complete by Jul. 4. Even if it is enacted, it would not reduce current tax rates. Amid all of this, the IMF's world economic projections in April call for U.S. growth to slow by a full percentage point this year to 1.8 percent, down from its October forecast of 2.2 percent. Meanwhile, U.S. inflation is projected to rise to 3 percent, a full percentage-point increase from the January forecast. If so, the tariffs that Trump is contemplating would inflict greater damage on the U.S. economy than on other industrial economies. Finally, while the U.S. may avoid a recession this year, the risk of one increases the longer the trade war lasts. Accordingly, investors should be prepared for significant collateral damage from tariff hikes that could result in lower stock prices and a weaker dollar. Nicholas Sargen, Ph.D., is an economic consultant for Fort Washington Investment Advisors and is affiliated with the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. He has authored three books including 'Global Shocks: An Investment Guide for Turbulent Markets.'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. creates a more than expected 228,000 March jobs; joblessness rises to 4.2%
April 4 (UPI) -- U.S. non-farm payrolls grew by more than expected in March, according to a Friday report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The monthly employment situation summary showed that the U.S. economy added a higher-than-expected 228,000 jobs in March. Unemployment rose to 4.2%. "Job gains occurred in health care, in social assistance, and in transportation and warehousing. Employment also increased in retail trade, partially reflecting the return of workers from a strike. Federal government employment declined." The Dow Jones estimate for March was 140,000. "Today's better-than-expected jobs report will help ease fears of an immediate softening in the U.S. labor market," said Goldman Sach's Lindsay Rosner in a statement. "However, this number has become a side dish with the market just focusing on the entrée: tariffs." The drastic tariffs and the trade war they have triggered has sent stocks plummeting, creating huge uncertainty about the eventual impact on job growth and the economy. As companies react to the tariffs and the higher prices they will cause some may reduce hiring amid fears of a possible recession as the tariffs shock reverberates through the U.S. and global economies. Unemployment edged up to 4.2%, but it has stayed between 4.0% and 4.2% since May 2024, according to the BLS. The 228,000 March jobs was higher than the average job gain of 158,000 over the past 12 months. Federal government employment was down 4,000 in March, but that number doesn't include federal workers who no longer have jobs but are collecting severance or are on temporary paid leave. Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported Thursday that March layoffs were at 275,240, a 60% increase in layoffs from February driven by DOGE sweeping cuts in federal jobs. The March jobs growth included 54,000 in health care and 24,000 in retail. Social assistance jobs were up by 24,000. Transportation and warehousing created 23,000 jobs.
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Stock Market Alarm Is Sounding for the Third Time in 20 Years. History Says This Will Happen Next.
The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) briefly fell into correction territory in March. The index has since bounced back to a small degree but remains more than 8% below the record high it reached in February. However, an economic warning bell seen during just two periods in the last 20 years may signal more trouble on the horizon. As of March 18, data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta shows that U.S. gross domestic product is on pace to decline an annualized 1.8% in the first quarter of 2025. That would be the worst economic contraction since the second quarter of 2020. Historically, the S&P 500 has performed poorly during periods of economic contraction. Here are the important details. Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the size of an economy. It's calculated as the sum of four numbers: consumer spending, business spending, government spending, and net exports. In the U.S., quarterly GDP has declined during just two periods in the last 20 years, as detailed below: 2008-2009: GDP declined 2.5% in Q4 2008 and remained negative through Q3 2009 as the housing market collapsed and borrowers defaulted on subprime mortgages. Those events led to the Great Recession. 2020: GDP declined 7.5% in Q2 2020 and remained negative through Q4 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic forced business closures and social distancing that disrupted supply chains around the world. Those events led to brief recession. The events listed above correlated with sharp declines in the S&P 500, which is commonly regarded as the best gauge for the overall U.S. stock market. Specifically, the S&P 500 fell 56% from its high during the Great Recession, and the benchmark index fell 33% during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. As mentioned, data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta shows GDP is on track to fall at an annualized rate of 1.8% in the first quarter of 2025, but that number isn't yet finalized. The first quarter doesn't end until March 31, and the Bureau of Economic analysis won't publish a finalized number until April 30. Consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of GDP, rose 4.2% in the fourth quarter, but growth is on track to decelerate to 0.4% in the first quarter amid concerns about inflation and tariffs. Consumer spending in January unexpectedly fell, the first month-on-month decline in two years. And consumer sentiment in February reached its lowest level since November 2022. Additionally, while the Trump administration's trade policy aims to correct the long-standing trade deficit -- U.S. imports have consistently exceeded exports since 1975 -- tariffs have so far had the opposite impact. The trade deficit in January hit a record high as businesses stockpiled inventory. That means U.S. imports exceeded exports by the largest margin in history. That's the primary reason GDP is on pace to decline in the first quarter. However, tariffs could send the S&P 500 lower in the months ahead, even if the U.S economy avoids a first-quarter contraction. Goldman Sachs strategists recently wrote, "Tariffs on autos, critical imports, and reciprocal tariffs could raise the effective rate to about 10%, which is five times the increase in the first Trump administration." Tariffs imposed during the first Trump administration contributed to a 19.8% decline in the S&P 500 during a three-month period in late 2018. If the second Trump administration forges ahead with more aggressive trade policy, the impact on the stock market could be correspondingly larger. Here's the bottom line: Trade tensions and economic uncertainty make the current market environment risky, so investors should proceed with caution. That doesn't mean avoiding stocks altogether, but it does mean limiting purchases to high-conviction ideas and only buying stocks that trade at reasonable valuations. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you'll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a 'Double Down' stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you're worried you've already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it's too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you'd have $299,339!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you'd have $40,324!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you'd have $501,530!* Right now, we're issuing 'Double Down' alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.*Stock Advisor returns as of March 18, 2025 Trevor Jennewine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A Stock Market Alarm Is Sounding for the Third Time in 20 Years. History Says This Will Happen Next. was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
