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More than three-quarters of small business owners believe that their company is equipped to handle any upcoming economic instability, according to new research.

The survey of 1,000 small business owners revealed that increased interest rates (61%), inflation (59%) and a looming recession (44%) are small business owners top economic concerns for the remainder of 2023.

Results revealed that record-high inflation has driven small business owners to make tough decisions about their businesses this year (62%).

Specifically, small businesses have tapped into different financial resources including savings accounts and loans (61%), adapted prices (50%) and reduced the production of various goods and services (45%).

Other small businesses have raised prices (38%) or reduced staff (35%) as a result of inflation.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Melio, the survey asked small business owners about inflation and the impact of the rocky economic climate.

Though almost half (48%) of respondents have raised their prices by an average of 7% over the last six months, those that increased their prices are still reporting an increase in repeat business (66%), sales (63%) and number of new clients (56%).

Interestingly, despite inflation and other economic concerns, 72% of small business owners feel more optimistic now about the financial prospects of their company than they did at the beginning of the year.

This might be due in part to some of the changes they have made this year: respondents have increased their advertising and marketing efforts (66%), increased their digital presence (58%) and started selling products online (52%).

In fact, more than two-thirds (67%) believe that having an online presence is more important to small businesses than it used to be.

Despite the challenges posed by inflation and interest rates, small business owners seem to adapt to the current economic climate and demonstrate impressive agility and resilience, said Tomer Barel, Melios president and COO. Small businesses are the foundation of the economy, and it is critical that they have the tools to overcome future challenges.

Small businesses are interested in digitizing or further digitizing all aspects of their businesses, including bookkeeping and payments (53%), inventory management (51%) and customer service (42%).

But even beyond the importance of their digital footprint, three-quarters feel that it is more imperative to accept forms of payment beyond cash than it used to be.

Since the pandemic began over three years ago, theres been a strong demand for tools to help small businesses digitize and that trend has only continued in 2023, said Prashant Gandhi, Melios CBO. Small businesses are embracing new technologies that can help them take control over their finances and weather economic uncertainty.

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Leafs finish off Senators for spot in East semifinals

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Leafs finish off Senators for spot in East semifinals

OTTAWA, Ontario — Max Pacioretty scored the tiebreaking goal with less than six minutes remaining, leading the Toronto Maple Leafs to a series-clinching 4-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night in Game 6 of their first-round matchup.

William Nylander had two goals, including an empty-netter in the final seconds, and an assist, and Auston Matthews added a power-play goal in the first period for Toronto. Anthony Stolarz made 20 saves.

Brady Tkachuk and David Perron scored for Ottawa. Thomas Chabot had two assists and Linus Ullmark made 19 saves.

The Maple Leafs advanced to take on the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games in their first-round series.

Toronto grabbed a 3-0 series lead, but Ottawa stayed alive with a 4-3 overtime victory in Game 4 and a 4-0 shutout in Game 5.

The Maple Leafs finally put away the Senators in Game 6.

With the game tied at 2, Pacioretty — a heathy scratch to start the series — scored the winner with 5:39 remaining off a pass from Max Domi that beat Ullmark to the glove side. It was Pacioretty’s first goal of the playoffs.

Scott Laughton hit the post before Nylander iced it into the empty net with 18.3 seconds left.

Matthews put Toronto up 1-0 on a power play with 70 seconds left in the first period when he fired a low shot through traffic.

Nylander, on his 29th birthday, made it 2-0 just 43 seconds into the second when he ripped a shot past Ullmark after Pacioretty forced a turnover from Senators defenseman Nick Jensen.

Ottawa got on the board at 7:28 when Tkachuk tipped a shot past Stolarz.

Toronto, which beat Ottawa four times in five playoffs series in the early 2000s, came close to restoring its two-goal lead when John Tavares poked a loose puck off the post before Ullmark denied Matthew Knies and Brandon Carlo off the rush.

Perron scored with 7:20 left in regulation to tie it on a shot from below the goal line that went in off Stolarz’s back to make it 2-2.

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Eichel’s 1st goal of series helps Knights advance

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Eichel's 1st goal of series helps Knights advance

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jack Eichel scored his first goal of the series to give Vegas the lead late in the second period, and Adin Hill held it up on a 29-save night to spur the Golden Knights on to the second round with a 3-2 victory in Game 6 against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.

Shea Theodore scored first and Mark Stone scored last for Vegas, which will face the winner of the Edmonton-Los Angeles series. The Oilers took a 3-2 lead on the Kings into Game 6 on their home ice later Thursday.

Minnesota has lost nine consecutive series in the NHL playoffs and last made it out of the first round 10 years ago.

Ryan Hartman had two goals for the Wild, including a wraparound with 3:27 left that came 31 seconds after Stone had just given the Golden Knights a two-goal lead.

Stone, who set up Eichel with a long pass out of the zone that was inches out of reach of the stick of Kirill Kaprizov after he dived to try to prevent the breakaway, had four points in the last three games. Neither Stone nor Eichel recorded a single point in the first three games.

Hartman tied the game for the Wild with four seconds left in the first period, a goal safe from replay review unlike his go-ahead score in Game 5 with 1:15 remaining in regulation that was revoked for an offside call after Vegas challenged.

The Wild were unshaken by the consecutive overtime losses that erased their 2-1 lead, confident they measured up to the deeper Golden Knights and could still take the series.

They were quickly playing from behind, though, after Marco Rossi got the dreaded double minor penalty for high-sticking Brayden McNabb with just 2:27 elapsed in the game.

Theodore wristed in a shot from the high slot with Stone and Tomas Hertl screening Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson, immediately quieting the crowd near the end of the first power play. Gustavsson, who was forced out of Game 5 after two periods due to an illness, had 20 saves.

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NHS may offer weight loss jabs over the counter at pharmacies

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NHS may offer weight loss jabs over the counter at pharmacies

Patients will be able to get weight loss injections from pharmacies, according to reports. 

It’s claimed drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro could be available over the counter after a short consultation – at the cost of an NHS prescription.

This would broaden access to these jabs considerably, as the health service currently restricts injections to those regarded as having the highest clinical need.

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Weight loss drugs ‘changing way we see obesity’

At the moment, there is a two-year waiting list for Wegovy on the NHS – and last year, research by Sky News showed the rollout is happening far more slowly than planned.

Thousands of people with severe obesity have been denied access to the treatment, with doctors previously claiming that a “soul-destroying” postcode lottery has emerged.

According to the Daily Mail, a multimillion-pound deal for a pilot scheme will be struck with a pharmaceutical firm, with a view to issuing prescriptions through chemists and health centres.

They would be priced at £9.90 – the same as an NHS prescription – and substantially less than the £150-a-month cost of obtaining these injections privately.

More on Nhs

But the reports have been described as “speculative”, with health experts warning obesity drugs must only be used under medical supervision by those who are eligible.

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The weight loss drug that’s ‘too good’

A government spokesperson said: “As the government shifts the NHS from sickness to prevention, we will be looking across the board at how these drugs can be made available to more people who can benefit from them.

“The NHS is already tackling obesity in innovative ways, including through community care models and digital technologies, to help deliver these drugs as part of a rounded package of care.”

Previous estimates from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have suggested that 3.4 million people in England could benefit from weight loss injections.

But last December, NICE said these jabs would only be available to 220,000 patients on the NHS in the first three years – meaning millions of others could end up waiting up to 12 years for treatment.

Read more from Sky News:
Harrods targeted by cyberattackers

UK’s hottest start to May on record
Police horses attacked by dog in park

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‘I need weight loss drug but can’t get it’

Studies show people lose on average 15% of their body weight within months of starting treatment with Wegovy. The drug mimics a natural hormone and people feel fuller faster and for longer.

Obesity costs the NHS £6bn a year and is linked to 200 different diseases.

Half of all obese people with three related problems, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, die within 10 years.

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