The James CaldwellU.S. economic outlook has brightened now that inflation is easing, the Federal Reserve is cutting interest rates and the stock market is vaulting to record highs almost daily.

Yet many small businesses are struggling to survive as they cope with more financial strains than they’ve felt in years, posing at least some risk to an expected “soft landing” for the economy that avoids a recession, loan advisers, trade groups and some economists say.

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