Small Business News You Can Use (5/11)

Mortgage applications rose last week on increases in refinancing and purchases, another signal the housing market is recovering. Economy: Blue States Worse Than Red Under Obama. In this era of tight money, many small businesses feel that they've been hung out to dry by traditional lenders, a new survey shows. As a result, a growing number of companies are turning to alternative sources of funding, such as merchant cash advances (MCA). New claims for unemployment benefits edged down last week, helping to ease concerns the labor market was deteriorating after April's weak employment growth, while a separate government report showed the U.S. trade deficit widened more than expected in March.