The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index decreased by 0.9 of a point in March to 88.5, the lowest level since December 2012. This is the 27th consecutive month below the 50-year average of 98. The net percent of owners raising average selling prices...
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April 17, 2024, 07:15 AM
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NFIB is celebrating 50 years of the Small Business Economic Trends survey, but small business owners are not feeling optimistic in the current economic environment. The Optimism Index decreased 0.1 points in October to 90.7, marking the 22nd month...
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November 20, 2023, 07:05 AM
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NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index increased 1.6 points in June to 91.0, however, it is the 18th consecutive month below the 49-year average of 98. Inflation and labor quality are tied as the top small business concerns with 24 percent of owners...
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July 24, 2023, 07:00 AM
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According to NFIB’s monthly jobs report, 57 percent of owners reported hiring or trying to hire in January, up two points. Of those hiring or trying to hire, 91 percent of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were...
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February 15, 2023, 07:00 AM
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NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index rose 0.3 points in September to 92.1, making the ninth consecutive month below the 48-year average of 98. Thirty percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in operating their...
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October 17, 2022, 07:15 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released an industry-specific Small Business Economic Trends report highlighting the construction, manufacturing, retail and services industries. The overall Optimism Index for small businesses in April was 93.2.“The...
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May 19, 2022, 07:08 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released a new survey assessing the impact inflation is having on small businesses. Small business owners first signaled inflation issues in the summer of 2021 when NFIB’s Small Business Economic Trends survey found...
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April 28, 2022, 07:17 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index decreased slightly in January to 97.1, down 1.8 points from December. Inflation remains a problem for small businesses as 22 percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important business...
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February 08, 2022, 07:10 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index increased slightly in December to 98.9, up 0.5 points from November. Twenty-two percent of small business owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem encountered in operating their...
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January 31, 2022, 07:05 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released the quarterly Small Business Economic Trends industry report, highlighting the construction, manufacturing, retail and services industries.“Small businesses in every industry are facing challenges like the staffing...
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December 13, 2021, 07:10 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index decreased slightly in October by 0.9 points to 98.2. One of the 10 Index components improved, seven declined and two were unchanged.“Small business owners are attempting to take advantage of current economic...
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November 11, 2021, 07:03 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index decreased one point in September to 99.1. Three of the 10 Index components improved, five declined and two were unchanged.“Small business owners are doing their best to meet the needs of customers, but are...
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October 15, 2021, 07:13 AM
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Fifty-one percent (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, up one point from August and a record-high reading for the second consecutive month, according to NFIB’s monthly jobs...
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October 11, 2021, 07:04 AM
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Fifty percent of all small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, a record high reading according to NFIB’s monthly jobs report. The number of unfilled job openings has remained far above the 48-year...
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September 13, 2021, 07:00 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index increased 2.9 points in June to 102.5, the first time the Index exceeded 100 since November 2020. Seven of the 10 Index components improved and three declined. The NFIB Uncertainty Index increased four points to...
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July 16, 2021, 07:11 AM
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According to NFIB’s monthly jobs report, 46 percent of small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, down two points from May but still above the 48-year historical average of 22 percent. Small business owners...
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July 09, 2021, 07:00 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 0.2 points in May to 99.6. May saw a slight pause in the recovery of small business optimism after steadily increasing each month in 2021. As reported in NFIB’s monthly jobs report, a record-high 48 percent...
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June 14, 2021, 07:15 AM
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A record-high 48 percent of small business owners in May reported unfilled job openings (seasonally adjusted), according to NFIB’s monthly jobs report. May is the fourth consecutive month of record-high readings for unfilled job openings and is 26...
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June 08, 2021, 07:15 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index declined in January to 95.0, down 0.9 from December and three points below the 47-year average of 98. Owners expecting better business conditions over the next six months declined seven points to a net negative...
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February 17, 2021, 07:15 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index declined 5.5 points in December to 95.9, falling below the average Index value since 1973 of 98. Nine of the 10 Index components declined and only one improved. Owners expecting better business conditions over...
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January 22, 2021, 07:03 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released the latest quarterly Small Business Economic Trends Industry-specific survey. The survey highlights the construction, manufacturing, retail and services industries. NFIB released previous reports in August and May...
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November 23, 2020, 07:20 AM
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NFIB’s Research Center released the latest survey relating to COVID-19 and its impact on the small business economy. The majority of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) borrowers have used all of their loans and are preparing to apply for...
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October 12, 2020, 07:15 AM
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The small business labor market continues to make improvements in September despite continued state and federal employment regulations related to COVID-19. According to NFIB’s monthly jobs report, 10 percent of owners reported increasing employment...
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October 05, 2020, 07:20 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released a Small Business Economic Trends Industry-specific survey highlighting the construction, manufacturing, retail and services industries. NFIB released a previous quarterly report in May 2020.“Small businesses are...
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September 08, 2020, 07:10 AM
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Many top concerns, including the cost of health insurance, labor and taxes, remain constant despite economic conditions, according to the 2020 NFIB Problems and Priorities Survey. The data, collected just prior to the COVID-19 health and economic...
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August 27, 2020, 07:15 AM
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According to NFIB’s monthly jobs report, over half (51 percent) of small business owners reported hiring or trying to hire in July. Forty-four percent (86 percent of those hiring or trying to hire) reported few or no qualified applicants for the...
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August 07, 2020, 07:15 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released a survey on the state of small business and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP loan application is set to close on Aug. 8 after Congress extended the deadline to allow more small business owners to...
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August 03, 2020, 07:25 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released a survey updating the state of small business and financial assistance programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL).“Small businesses have been using...
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July 13, 2020, 07:15 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released its monthly jobs report, showing the small business labor market has further weakened in June. Firms reduced employment by 0.28 workers per firm over the past month, weaker than the decrease of 0.17 workers per firm...
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July 07, 2020, 07:00 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released a survey on the status of the small business loan programs. Among NFIB members, 80 percent applied for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and almost 90 percent have received the loan. Most of the loans were...
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May 22, 2020, 07:14 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released a survey on the small business loan programs. Small business owners were asked about the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs. The PPP is very popular among small...
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May 08, 2020, 07:10 AM
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The NFIB Research Center released the following data on the small business loan programs: The severity of economic disruptions in the small business sector is quickly increasing the immediate demand for financial assistance among small business...
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April 14, 2020, 07:00 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 8.1 points in March to 96.4, the largest monthly decline in the survey’s history. Nine of the 10 Index components declined, which is evidence that economic disruptions are escalating on Main Street as small...
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April 13, 2020, 07:15 AM
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The NFIB Research Center’s new survey on the current impact of the coronavirus outbreak on small business found that while most small businesses are not currently impacted, owners are concerned about future disruptions if the outbreak continues to...
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March 17, 2020, 07:18 AM
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The NFIB small business Optimism Index started the New Year in the top 10 percent of all readings in the 46-year history of the survey, rising 1.6 points to 104.3 in the month of January. Six of the 10 Index components improved, two declined and two...
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February 14, 2020, 07:05 AM
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A record percentage of small business owners reported having difficulties finding qualified workers in August, according to NFIB’s monthly jobs report.Twenty-seven percent ranked finding qualified workers as their No. 1 business problem, the report...
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September 09, 2019, 07:00 AM
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America’s small business owners’ optimism took a modest downturn in June, according to the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, slipping 1.7 points to 103.3. While optimism remains at historically high levels, the June figure reverses the gain posted...
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July 11, 2019, 07:30 AM
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Optimism among small business owners continued its steady climb in April, with the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index increasing 1.7 points to 103.5. Sales improved in April, the inventory soft spot seen in last month’s report rebounded, and profit...
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May 14, 2019, 07:10 AM
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Small business plans to create new jobs and job openings hit a 45-year high in August, but owners still struggled to fill their open positions, according to NFIB’s monthly jobs report. After posting significant gains in filling open positions in July...
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September 10, 2018, 06:19 AM
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The Small Business Optimism Index marked its second-highest level in the survey’s 45-year history at 107.9, rising to within 0.1 point of the July 1983 record-high of 108. The July 2018 report also set new records in terms of owners reporting job...
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August 27, 2018, 07:00 AM
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The tight labor market continues to be the biggest problem facing small businesses, with 37 percent of owners reporting job openings they could not fill in the current period, a new survey high. Up one point from June, 13 percent of owners reported...
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August 06, 2018, 07:10 AM
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The Small Business Optimism Index increased in May to the second highest level in the NFIB survey’s 45-year history. The index rose to 107.8, a three-point gain, with small businesses reporting high numbers in several key areas including compensation...
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June 12, 2018, 07:30 AM
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The Small Business Optimism Index sustained record-high levels increasing to 104.8 in April, driven by reports of improved profits, the highest in the NFIB Small Business Economic Trends Survey’s 45-year history. Additionally, the number of small...
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May 14, 2018, 07:15 AM
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The small business optimism index reached its 16th consecutive month in the top five percent of 45 years of survey readings, according to the NFIB Small Business Economic Trends survey. The 104.7 March reading, down from 107.6 in February, remains...
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April 13, 2018, 07:30 AM
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The Small Business Optimism Index jumped two points to 106.9 in January and set a record with the number of small business owners saying Now Is a Good Time to Expand, according to NFIB’s Small Business Economic Trends Survey.“Main Street is roaring,”...
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February 14, 2018, 07:10 AM
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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) issued the following statement on behalf of President and CEO Juanita Duggan in response to the Senate’s passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:“We are pleased to see the Senate pass the Tax Cuts...
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December 04, 2017, 07:17 AM
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Small businesses in the U.S. are reporting declining optimism, with capital investments down across most major categories, according to a new report from the National Federation of Independent Business.
The NFIB's Index of Small Business Optimism...
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July 17, 2017, 07:07 AM
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The Innovative Lending Platform Association (ILPA) and the Coalition for Responsible Business Finance (CRBF) announced they are joining forces and will now operate as the ILPA – the leading trade organization representing a diverse group of online...
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March 06, 2017, 07:10 AM
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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released new research projecting nearly 200,000 more jobs and billions in higher economic productivity if Congress and the President agree to permanently increase the amount that businesses can...
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February 10, 2015, 07:03 AM
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The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index crept back to its August level of 96.1 with a gain of 0.8 points led by a modest increase in the net percent of owners who plan to increase capital spending and more who expect higher sales in the next 3 months....
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November 12, 2014, 07:02 AM
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July’s Optimism Index technically rose 0.7 points to a reading of 95.7. There was little change in the 10 Index components other than outlook for expansion and business conditions which accounted for the small gain in the Index. Even though these...
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August 15, 2014, 06:17 AM
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The NFIB Optimism Index rose 1.4 points in May to 96.6, the highest reading since September 2007. However, while May is the third up month in a row, the Index is still far below readings that have normally accompanied an expansion and there have...
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June 11, 2014, 06:45 AM
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Small-business optimism ended the year slightly up from November at 93.9, but below the previous 3 mid-year readings of over 94 and 6 points below the pre-recession average, according to the National Federation of Independent Business’ (NFIB’s)...
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January 17, 2014, 06:59 AM
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Small-business owner optimism did not “crash “ in September, but it did fall, dropping 0.20 from August’s (corrected) reading of 94.1 and landing at 93.9. The largest contributing factor to the dip was the significant increase in pessimism about...
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October 10, 2013, 06:50 AM
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Small-business optimism remained flat in August, dropping 0.1 points from July for a final reading of 94.0. While the total reading showed essentially no change over the month prior, a look at the individual indicators reveals incongruent details....
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September 11, 2013, 06:42 AM
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According to the National Federation of Independent Business, after March's disappointing drop in small business confidence, April’s Index of Small Business Optimism rose 2.6 points to 92.1, just above the recovery average of 90.7. In April’s report...
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May 15, 2013, 07:07 AM
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After three months of sustained growth, the March NFIB Index of Small Business Optimism ended its slow climb, declining 1.3 points and landing at 89.5. In the 44 months of economic expansion since the beginning of the recovery in July 2009, the Index...
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April 10, 2013, 07:00 AM
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The NFIB Index of Small Business Optimism increased 1.9 points in February, to 90.8. While a nice improvement over the last several reports, the Index remains on par with the 2008 average and below the trough of the 1991-92 and 2001-02 recessions....
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March 14, 2013, 07:06 AM
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Small-business owner confidence did not rebound in December, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index. While owner optimism crept up 0.5 over November’s historically-low report, the 88 point...
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January 10, 2013, 07:07 AM
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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index rose 0.3 in October to 93.1; the slight uptick in the reading did not seem to indicate a dramatic shift in owner sentiment over the course of the month. The survey...
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November 13, 2012, 07:19 AM
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September was another month of low expectations and pessimism for the small-business community, with the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index losing 0.1 points and falling to 92.8. The recession-level reading was pulled down by a deterioration in labor...
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October 09, 2012, 07:04 AM
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In spite of a disappointing jobs report, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index gained 1.7 points, rising to 92.9, in the month of August. The Index showed some positive signs; employment indicators for the fourth quarter improved substantially, as...
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September 11, 2012, 07:11 AM
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Small-business owners prominently rank “Uncertainty Over Economic Conditions” and “Uncertainty Over Government Actions” as their second and fourth most serious problems in the quadrennial National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) report...
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August 23, 2012, 06:45 AM
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The Federal Reserve's efforts to stimulate the economy continue to be limited by a lack of business and consumer confidence, says National Federation of Independent Business’s (NFIB's) chief economist in “Your Bottom Line With Bill...
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August 08, 2012, 07:39 AM
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In a disappointing reversal of several months of slow but positive growth, June’s Index of Small Business Optimism dove three points, falling to 91.4. The decline is significant, and relinquished the gains achieved earlier this year. Only one of the...
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July 10, 2012, 07:45 AM
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For the first time in 44 months, taxes emerged as the top problem for small businesses in the latest monthly Small Business Economic Trends report published by the National Federation of Independent Business. When asked about the single most...
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June 19, 2012, 07:30 AM
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Dropping just a tenth-of-a-point in the month of May, the Nation Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Index of Small Business Optimism came in at 94.4. A reading of 94.4 is historically low and consistent with the sub-par performance of GDP and...
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June 12, 2012, 07:40 AM
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More small businesses say government regulations are the top problem facing their business. In the May issue of the National Federation of Independent Business’ (NFIB’s) Small Business Economic Trends report, 20% of small-business owners said...
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May 29, 2012, 06:30 AM
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According to the National Federation of Independent Business, the Index of Small Business Optimism gained 2 points in April, settling at 94.5 after taking a dip in March. The reading is the highest since December 2007, however, April’s gain only...
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May 08, 2012, 06:30 AM
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After six months of gains, the Small-Business Optimism Index fell by almost 2 points in March, settling at 92.5. After a promising start to the year, nine of ten index components dropped last month, most notably hiring plans and expected real sales...
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April 12, 2012, 07:30 AM
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