U.S. small-business optimism retreats from a four-month high
Sentiment among U.S. small businesses unexpectedly cooled at the end of 2019 after climbing to a four-month high in November. The National Federation of Independent Business said this week, that its index of optimism fell to 102.7 in December from 104.7 a month earlier. Six of the report's 10 components declined, led by a gauge of earnings and several measures related to the labor market.
With winter still upon us, now is the time to make a big pot of chili and look forward to warmer days. Who better than the folks in Boston to bring us three chili recipes — including one featuring beer — to get the creative juices flowing?
A startup with an AI-platform that controls the flow of beer from the keg to the tap — and set the amount of foam — plans to expand from Turkey into the U.K. and Czech Republic. Pubinno, founded in Istanbul in 2015 before relocating to San Francisco, designs and produces the hardware and software for beer taps that use artificial intelligence to maintain a steady flow, cut wastage and keep the beverage at its ideal temperature.
U.S. wine consumption drops for first time in 25 years
The number of Americans drinking wine dropped for the first time since 1994, according to industry tracker IWSR. The report issued Monday noted the volume of wine consumption in the United States decreased by 0.9 percent in 2019. This decrease is primarily attributed to a generational shift as millennials increasingly turn to alternatives like hard seltzers.
