WASHINGTON, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Small businesses in the United States are besieged by problems like supply chain difficulties, periodic staffing shortage and fewer customers, as the pandemic enters its third year amid the Omicron surge, Reuters has reported.
U.S. retail sales fell 1.9 percent in December amid shortage of goods and surging infections, the U.S. Commerce Department was quoted as saying on Friday.
Daily operations of small businesses across the United States face challenges, although the federal authorities have provided aid to reduce the failure and bankruptcy rate of them, the report said.
According to the latest data released by the U.S. Federal Reserve about the state of the U.S. economy, the fast-spreading Omicron variant was exacerbating difficulties, especially for hiring and inflation. ■
