We rank all 50 states in our annual America's Top States for Business study, so if there are going to be top states, there must also be bottom states. We know that every state — regardless of its rank — offers its own unique business advantages. But based on our methodology, these states don't offer the broad appeal that it takes to be a top state. Be sure to check out the full Top States for business ranking to see how your state did. These 10 states bring up the rear this year. (CNBC)

At the Center for Talent Innovation, we wanted to look into these suspicions. Do the political, racial, and social experiences that divide us outside of work undermine our contributions on the job? Our nationwide survey of 3,570 white-collar professionals (374 black, 2,258 white, 393 Asian, and 395 Hispanic) paints an unsettling landscape: For black, Asian, and Hispanic professionals, race-based discrimination is rampant outside the workplace. Black individuals are especially struggling, as fully 78% of black professionals say they’ve experienced discrimination or fear that they or their loved ones will — nearly three times as many as white professionals. (Harvard Business Review)

Increased shale production will transform the U.S. into one of the world's top oil exporters in just a few years, according to a new forecast by the consultancy PIRA Energy Group. PIRA estimates that American crude exports will grow to 2.25 million barrels a day by 2020, a four-fold increase from 2016. The boom would put the U.S. in roughly the same league as major oil exporters including the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

Grab the ketchup! This Thursday, July 13, is National French Fry Day, which means there's lots of starchy goodness to be had. That's music to the ears of any fast food addict. The average American eats roughly 30 lbs of french fries per year, so retailers are eager to lure shoppers in with discounts and giveaways. Whether you prefer regular style, waffle fries, curly fries, or chili-cheese, there are plenty of freebies and deals to be found. (Fortune)

Feel like every day you're hustling, hustling? Yeah, you and 44 million other people.That's how many Americans report having a side hustle. And that extra dough is becoming a key part of making ends meet, especially for young people, according to a new study from Bankrate. (CNN Money)

Generally speaking, it's best to stay positive during a job interview. No one wants to hire a Debbie Downer. But keeping it positive gets tricky when the hiring manager asks you why you're leaving your current job....According to human resources veteran Toni Thompson, there are a bunch of ways to answer this question honestly — without getting too dark. (Business Insider)

If you feel like you’re starting to outgrow your current position, you may want to watch your behavior carefully. Researchers at Florida Atlantic University's College of Business found that people who think that they are overqualified for their job often feel unsatisfied with their work and place within their organization. This leads to a mental frustration, which in turn, kind of makes them act like a jerk. (Entrepreneur)

Find out from a serial entrepreneur what trust, flexibility and appreciation can mean to your staff and your personal work-life balance. (Business.com)

In today’s workplace, diversity is more than just a buzzword; it’s a way to build a stronger business. At Pinterest, we understand that diverse teams yield smarter, more innovative results, which are essential in the competitive, dynamic tech industry. With over 175 million active users worldwide, Pinterest thrives on providing users with relevant ideas: what to wear, what to cook, how to furnish your home, and where to travel. Pinterest’s fastest growing users are outside of the United States, and for current and future users, it’s important that the people building our product make it relevant to people of different ethnic, social, physical, and geographic backgrounds. (Harvard Business Review)

HR experts have often debated the case of diversity and inclusion—it is just "good to do" to maintain an inclusive employer-image, or is there a real benefit to business? A research by Morgan Stanley has come up with the following statistics: - Higher gender diversity companies delivered slightly better returns and have moderately outperformed those with lower gender diversity, on an average; - Out of the total number of companies which consider gender diversity a top agenda, the top 20% outperformed the others in terms of business volatility These two statements speak volumes about the positive business outcomes of gender diversity, leading to organizations jumping onto the diversity and inclusion bandwagon in their own way. (HR Technologist)

China’s sovereign wealth fund is looking at big bets in America. But the $800 billion investment behemoth said on Tuesday it faced an obstacle: the United States government. The fund, the China Investment Corporation, urged American authorities to allow better access to the market, at a time when Chinese deals are facing more scrutiny. (The New York Times)

A partnership between Florida State and Florida A&M universities has been awarded a $1 million grant as part of a national effort to increase diversity among researchers in education. The grant will be dispersed over five years with the idea of identifying promising juniors and first-year master’s degree students who are interested in seeking graduate and doctoral degrees and researching social justice issues as they impact learning. (Tallahassee Democrat)

Are you ready to embrace ads inside Facebook Messenger? That prospect just got a bit closer with the social network's announcement in a blog post aimed at advertisers Tuesday that indicated that Messenger ads are going global. After what Facebook declared were "promising tests" in Australia and Thailand, the company is now about to expand its Messenger ads beta push more broadly. (USA TODAY)

Microsoft is aiming to bring broadband Internet to millions of rural Americans within the next five years through what is now unused TV spectrum, the company announced Tuesday. Microsoft’s ambitious plan, dubbed the Rural Airband Initiative, will begin in 12 states, where the company said it will invest in broadband connectivity alongside local telecom services. One of the partner telecom companies is CenturyLink, which is working on a broadband project in eastern Washington state, said Microsoft president and chief legal officer Brad Smith in an interview. (The Washington Post)

Apple has set up its first data center in China, setting the tone for how foreign companies will handle a strict new law requiring them to store Chinese users’ information in the country. The center in the southern province of Guizhou, part of a $1 billion investment there, will be operated with a local data management company, Apple said on Wednesday. (The New York Times)

Without giving too much away, this season the cast really steps into the fullness of their roles and characters as they are in for a huge ride, especially James St. Patrick who plays the main character, "Ghost," an entrepreneur. As an entrepreneur myself, I’ve noticed there are lessons that can be learned by watching Power: (Black Enterprise)

Janet Yellen takes questions from reporters only four times a year, so her semiannual testimony on monetary policy is a key window into the powerful Federal Reserve chair's views on key issues such as interest rates and regulation. (Business Insider)

Across the U.S., homeownership rates appear to be stabilizing as people rebound from the 2007 recession that left millions unemployed and home values underwater, according to a report by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. But the report found African-Americans aren’t sharing in the recovery, even as whites, Asian-Americans and Latinos slowly see gains in home-buying. The center said the disparity between whites and blacks is at its highest in 70-plus years of data.(Kansas City Star)

The government’s consumer watchdog finalized a rule Monday that will make it easier for people to challenge financial companies in court.The rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau targets arbitration clauses, which are frequently tucked into the fine print of user agreements for credit cards, bank accounts and other consumer products. As a condition for receiving services or products, consumers often give up their right to join a class-action lawsuit with these clauses, and instead agree to settle any disputes in a private process known as arbitration. (The Washington Post)

The tech giant on Wednesday reported record sales for its third annual Prime Day, beating out its numbers for previous Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping periods. In fact, Prime Day sales were higher than both shopping holidays combined in 2016. Prime Day, which kicked off on Monday and offered 30 hours of deals, experienced a sales uptick of more than 60% compared to last year. The company also added more Prime members in one day than ever before. Amazon required shoppers to be Prime members to participate in the sale. (CNN Money)

United Airlines' public image has plummeted over the past few months, a decline that began in April when the company forcibly removed a passenger from a flight due to what some considered a form of overbooking. Now the company is trying to make oversold flights less of a problem. According to Bloomberg, United is set to unveil a system whereby the airline would offer rewards to passengers who are willing to give up their seat on an overbooked flight days in advance. (Fortune)

As tech companies struggle to recruit and hire African-Americans and other minorities, companies in another billion-dollar industry, have embraced the importance of diversity and inclusion strategies that are critical to the future success of their businesses. (The Seattle Medium)

n an appearance before the House Financial Services Committee, Yellen said if the U.S. looks at the flight of jobs and wages from middle-class families, it must take into account how automation has eliminated several lower-skilled jobs. "Wages and jobs of middle-class families that have seen diminishing opportunities and downward pressure on middle-class wages, we have to take into account factors of the technological change that have eliminated middle-income jobs and globalization that has reinforced the impact of tech," said Yellen. (CNBC)