Inflation in September was slightly lower than anticipated, according to delayed data from the Commerce Department. The core personal consumption expenditures price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, rose 2.8% year over year, compared with a Dow Jones estimate of 2.9%. The data could give the Fed more reason to consider lowering interest rates.

North American Builder's Supply, an Illinois-based building materials retailer, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Dec. 3. The company remains operational and is seeking to reorganize rather than liquidate, aiming to continue serving its customers while restructuring its debts. The company reported estimated assets and liabilities between $500,001 and $1 million, listing several major unsecured creditors.

Wesco Group, an automotive paint distributor based in Lynwood, WA, has announced its acquisition of National Coatings & Supplies, a Raleigh-based distributor of coatings and related solutions. The companies did not disclose the terms of the transaction. Wesco leadership emphasized that the move will create a stronger, unified platform in the specialty coatings and equipment sector.

Amazon is considering ending its contract with the US Postal Service and creating a nationwide delivery network, The Washington Post reports. The current agreement, which expires in October 2026, brings in billions of dollars annually for the USPS and represents about 7.5% of its revenue. Negotiations for a new contract have been complicated by efforts to privatize the USPS.

Excess working capital, often found as idle cash, inventory, or accounts receivable, is significantly limiting distributor growth and agility, according to RecVue CEO Nishant Nair. With high interest rates and continued supply chain challenges, distributors face mounting risks when capital is tied up in non-productive assets. A recent Hackett Group study highlights that $600 billion is tied up in receivables due to customer payment delays, $581 billion in inventory resulting from overstocking and demand uncertainty, and $546 billion in payables. Optimizing each component -- by improving collections, managing inventory levels and renegotiating supplier terms -- is crucial for freeing up capital and boosting efficiency.

Supply chain resilience efforts are often undermined by outdated manual vendor workflows, writes Antonio Goncalves, co-founder and CEO of Vallor AI. These processes, including onboarding and contracting, are typically managed through emails and spreadsheets, leading to significant delays and increased compliance risks. Goncalves suggests that companies centralize supplier data, automate onboarding, streamline contracts with AI and integrate continuous risk monitoring to enhance efficiency and resilience.

LinkedIn's "How Small Businesses Can Win in 2026" report reveals significant growth among small and midsize businesses, with a 60% increase in professionals adding "Founder" to their LinkedIn profiles. The report identifies three key strategies for SMBs: adopting AI, building brand credibility and expanding professional networks. Nearly 60% of US SMB executives plan to use AI in 2026, with short-form video being a preferred format for brand building.

Leaders who excel are those, Paul Thornton writes, who remember that "excellence isn't usually lost through one big mistake -- it slips away when small details are ignored." Thornton suggests that leaders make time to experience their own products and services firsthand -- such as making a call to the help line or going through customer processes -- to identify which details truly impact satisfaction.

Employees are more informed about their benefits, with 84% feeling well-informed, up from 77% last year, according to a global survey by Willis Towers Watson. However, satisfaction has dropped to 61% from 66%. The report attributes the increased awareness to better communication, involving the use of clearer language and more regular updates. Jill Havely, WTW's head of global community excellence and employee experience, notes that dissatisfied employees can pose risks and emphasizes that investing in the wrong rewards, or failing to communicate them effectively, is akin to wasting money.