The State of the Economy and Entrepreneurial Optimism

Investors are bullish on big companies, but what about the small ones that drive almost half of U.S. economic activity? Arlan Hamilton leads a venture capital firm that invests in these small firms and has a front-row seat. Her fund, Backstage Capital, has invested in hundreds of small companies that are hoping to become large ones and she’ll tell us what she sees happening right now and what’s on the horizon. Plus, is banking back? Bank stocks soared at the end of 2023, with a couple even outperforming the S&P 500. It shows investors have put the banking crisis that sunk the market in March behind them. But is the coast all clear? And how did we get here? We’ll find out from WSJ banking reporter Rachel Ensign as the three largest banks in the country — JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo — are all scheduled to report their earnings on Friday.

Further Reading

WSJ Reports: Small Business 

The Coming Deluge for Small Business

U.S. Small-Business Sentiment Kept Sliding in September 

How the Fed's Fight Against Inflation Could Hit Small Business 

First Republic Crashed and Burned. This Bank Wants to Copy Its Business. 

How the 2023 Bank Crisis Can Still Be Felt in 2024 

Best Banks and Credit Unions for 2024 

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