TOTAL SKIER VISITS HIT RECORD:

The National Ski Areas Association says the 2021-2022 ski season was recordbreaking in the total number of skier visits to resorts around the country. The trade group says the roughly 61 million skier visits was up 3.5 percent from the 20202021 season. A skier visit is when someone uses a lift ticket or pass at a ski area. The association says the Rocky Mountain region reported a record high number of skier visits while the Northeast, Midwest and Pacific Southwest all had increases from 2020-2021 season. The group says the Southeast and Pacific Northwest reported decreases in skier visits.

SMALL-BUSINESS OPTIMISM LOW:

A gauge of U.S. small-business sentiment held steady last month at the lowest level since April 2020, with firms remaining concerned about inflation and the economy’s prospects. The National Federation of Independent Business optimism index stood at 93.2 in April, the group said this week.