US Business

The Small Business Administration, overwhelmed by demand from ailing entrepreneurs, has been slow to distribute loans and grants needed to survive the pandemic.

Government agents have made on-site inspections, during which they questioned company executives, downloaded financial records and collected internal communications.

The disclosure comes days after the electric-truck startup’s president said the company had “pretty binding” preorders and enough interest from potential buyers to sustain factory output through the end of 2022.

Online brands that face stiff competition and rising costs for digital ads are trying other ways to find customers, such as using free content to foster virtual communities and sending out printed catalogs.

With demand for vacation-home rentals near beaches, lakes and national parks staying high as the economy reopens, short-term rental platforms are finding ways to sign up more hosts and increase listings.

An antitrust lawsuit alleges insurance broker Aon’s proposed $35 billion acquisition of rival Willis Towers Watson would lead to higher prices and stifle innovation.

General Motors said that it will boost spending on electric and autonomous vehicles to $35 billion through 2025, an increase that reflects plans to add two more battery factories in the U.S.

Construction of new homes in the last two decades lagged behind historical levels, contributing to the recent surge in house prices, according to a report that calls for a “once-in-a-generation” policy response.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has said the company’s greatest contribution to mankind will be in health. So far, some of its initiatives aimed at broadly disrupting the healthcare sector have struggled to gain traction.

E-commerce upstarts like ShopIN.nyc are part of a growing group of businesses and organizations positioning themselves as anti-Amazon.