To quote innumerable tech support workers: "Have you tried turning it off and on again?" That apparently is what's happened in Washington as negotiations resumed on a new round of pandemic aid, said MarketWatch.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had been in the middle of negotiations after a period of inactivity; Democrats proposed a new $2.2 trillion version of their formerly $3.4 trillion Heroes Act, which prompted the White House to make a $1.6 trillion counteroffer, up from its previous $1.3 trillion plan. While the two parties remained at an impasse, the negotiations nonetheless represented the most movement on this issue in months.

Then, on Tuesday, the White House suddenly instructed Mnuchin to cease talks, accusing the Democrats of not negotiating in good faith, and instead focus on standalone aid measures. This announcement caused consternation in financial markets, though, and the administration reversed course later that evening. MarketWatch said that, during the latest round of talks, the House Speaker earlier said she would consider a standalone airline aid bill, such as the one advanced by her own party which was blocked by Republican legislators. However today, according to CNBC, she said there would be no standalone bill without a larger stimulus bill to accompany it.

Both a new stimulus deal or the absence of one will likely have a very big impact on the business world. The Foundation for Accounting Education's upcoming Business and Industry Conference Part 1 and Part 2 webcast on Oct, 21 will cover topics of how business leaders are surviving this economic downturn.