Latest news with #NFIBSmallBusinessOptimismIndex
Fibre2Fashion
10-07-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
US small business optimism steady amid mixed signals in June: NFIB
The Uunited States NFIB Small Business Optimism Index held steady in June, dipping by 0.2 points to 98.6, slightly above the 51-year average of 98. A significant rise in respondents reporting excess inventories was the primary factor behind the index's decline. The Uncertainty Index dropped by five points from May to 89. Nineteen per cent of small business owners cited taxes as their most pressing issue, marking an increase from May, and once again ranked as the top concern. The last time taxes reached 19 per cent was in July 2021, NFIB said in a press release. 'Small business optimism remained steady in June while uncertainty fell,' said Bill Dunkelberg , chief economist at NFIB . 'Taxes remain the top issue on Main Street, but many others are still concerned about labour quality and high labour costs.' The US NFIB Small Business Optimism Index in June declined slightly to 98.6, primarily due to concerns about inventory levels, with a net 5 per cent reporting stocks as 'too low'. Expectations for better business conditions and higher sales volumes fell. Labour quality remains a concern for 16 per cent of owners, while inflation pressures eased to 11 per cent. The June index showed a slight dip, with a net negative 5 per cent of business owners viewing their current inventory stocks as 'too low'. This marks a six-point decrease from May, signalling a net increase in inventories. In June, 7 per cent of owners reported inventories as 'too low', down from 8 per cent in May, while 12 per cent reported inventories as 'too high', up from 7 per cent in May. This shift in inventory concerns was the primary factor behind the decline in the Optimism Index. Business owners' expectations for better conditions dropped by three points, standing at a net 22 per cent, still above the 51-year average of 3 per cent. Similarly, expectations for higher real sales volumes fell by three points to a net 7 per cent. In terms of capital investment, 21 per cent of owners' plan capital outlays over the next six months, a slight decrease from May. Labour quality remains a key challenge for small businesses, with 16 per cent of owners citing it as their most important issue, unchanged from May. This marks a decline from April 2020, when labour quality complaints were lower. The percentage of small business owners reporting labour as their top concern aligns with other data suggesting a more tempered labour market across the economy. Inflation pressures appear to be easing, with 11 per cent of owners now citing higher input costs as their most important problem, down three points from May and the lowest level since September 2021. The overall health of small businesses has significantly deteriorated. The percentage of business owners rating their company as in 'excellent' or 'good' health fell, with 8 per cent reporting excellent health (down six points) and 49 per cent reporting good health (down six points). Conversely, 35 per cent rated their business health as fair (up seven points), while 7 per cent reported poor health (up three points). Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How small businesses are navigating rising uncertainty in 2025
Small businesses make up nearly half of all private-sector jobs in the U.S. They help drive local economies, spark innovation, and keep communities running. Because of their impact, their mood often reflects bigger shifts in the economy. Right now, that mood isn't great. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index has consistently dropped from January to April 2025. Rising labor costs, persistent inflation, and tighter access to credit are creating major planning challenges for many small business owners. To understand how small businesses are responding to these challenges, Gateway Commercial Finance, an invoice factoring company, analyzed the latest data from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the Fed Small Business Credit Survey. This study highlights key trends in small business optimism, hiring, and financial health. In March 2025, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped 3.3 points to 97.4. This is the sharpest monthly decline the index has seen since June 2022, bringing it below its historical 51-year average of 98. It fell another 1.6 points in April 2025, marking the fourth consecutive monthly dip. The downturn was driven primarily by weakened expectations for future business conditions and unfilled job openings. Business owners are less certain about what will happen next. In February 2025, the NFIB Uncertainty Index jumped to 104, its second-highest level in more than 50 years. This kind of uncertainty makes planning tough. Many small businesses are slowing down decisions about hiring, spending, and growth. When the future looks shaky, most choose to wait things out. According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, staffing trends at small businesses (10 to 49 employees) have shifted in early 2025. Small business owners are treading carefully when it comes to growing their teams, but that doesn't mean hiring has stopped. Some are bringing on new people and finding ways to adapt in a shifting labor market. Here's what the data shows: Job openings are down. Some employers could be holding off on creating new positions while they wait for more economic clarity. Hiring is steady. Despite fewer openings, many businesses are still filling roles as needed. More people are quitting. Workers seem more confident about finding better opportunities elsewhere. Layoffs have slowed. Fewer businesses are cutting staff, which points to a degree of stability. Financial health is still a weak spot for many small businesses. Fewer are reporting revenue or job growth, based on the most recent Fed Small Business Credit Survey. These numbers haven't bounced back to where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to credit isn't helping much either. While the share of businesses applying for new credit has returned to pre-2020 levels, approval rates have slipped. Before the pandemic, 62% of applicants received full approval for financing; that figure now sits at just 52%. This drop in access to capital may further constrain investment, hiring, and long-term planning for many small businesses. Small businesses continue to be an important part of the U.S. economy, but many are moving carefully as uncertainty persists. With optimism declining, hiring trends shifting, and credit access tightening, owners are prioritizing stability over aggressive growth. The latest data points to a period of adjustment—not acceleration, but not retreat either. How small businesses respond in the months ahead will help shape the bigger economic picture. For this study, we leveraged the April 2025 NFIB Small Business Economic Trends report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' JOLTS Estimates, and the annual Fed Small Business Credit Survey to understand small business optimism and uncertainty, job openings, hiring, turnover, and employment and revenue growth. This story was produced by Gateway Commercial Finance and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
23-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
How small businesses are navigating rising uncertainty in 2025
How small businesses are navigating rising uncertainty in 2025 Small businesses make up nearly half of all private-sector jobs in the U.S. They help drive local economies, spark innovation, and keep communities running. Because of their impact, their mood often reflects bigger shifts in the economy. Right now, that mood isn't great. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index has consistently dropped from January to April 2025. Rising labor costs, persistent inflation, and tighter access to credit are creating major planning challenges for many small business owners. To understand how small businesses are responding to these challenges, Gateway Commercial Finance, an invoice factoring company, analyzed the latest data from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the Fed Small Business Credit Survey. This study highlights key trends in small business optimism, hiring, and financial health. The mood on Main Street: Optimism and uncertainty In March 2025, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped 3.3 points to 97.4. This is the sharpest monthly decline the index has seen since June 2022, bringing it below its historical 51-year average of 98. It fell another 1.6 points in April 2025, marking the fourth consecutive monthly dip. The downturn was driven primarily by weakened expectations for future business conditions and unfilled job openings. Business owners are less certain about what will happen next. In February 2025, the NFIB Uncertainty Index jumped to 104, its second-highest level in more than 50 years. This kind of uncertainty makes planning tough. Many small businesses are slowing down decisions about hiring, spending, and growth. When the future looks shaky, most choose to wait things out. Labor market pressures: Hiring, quits, and layoffs According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, staffing trends at small businesses (10 to 49 employees) have shifted in early 2025. Small business owners are treading carefully when it comes to growing their teams, but that doesn't mean hiring has stopped. Some are bringing on new people and finding ways to adapt in a shifting labor market. Here's what the data shows: Job openings are down. Some employers could be holding off on creating new positions while they wait for more economic is steady. Despite fewer openings, many businesses are still filling roles as people are quitting. Workers seem more confident about finding better opportunities have slowed. Fewer businesses are cutting staff, which points to a degree of stability. Small business financial health and credit access Financial health is still a weak spot for many small businesses. Fewer are reporting revenue or job growth, based on the most recent Fed Small Business Credit Survey. These numbers haven't bounced back to where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to credit isn't helping much either. While the share of businesses applying for new credit has returned to pre-2020 levels, approval rates have slipped. Before the pandemic, 62% of applicants received full approval for financing; that figure now sits at just 52%. This drop in access to capital may further constrain investment, hiring, and long-term planning for many small businesses. Navigating uncertainty with cautious resilience Small businesses continue to be an important part of the U.S. economy, but many are moving carefully as uncertainty persists. With optimism declining, hiring trends shifting, and credit access tightening, owners are prioritizing stability over aggressive growth. The latest data points to a period of adjustment-not acceleration, but not retreat either. How small businesses respond in the months ahead will help shape the bigger economic picture. Methodology For this study, we leveraged the April 2025 NFIB Small Business Economic Trends report, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' JOLTS Estimates, and the annual Fed Small Business Credit Survey to understand small business optimism and uncertainty, job openings, hiring, turnover, and employment and revenue growth. This story was produced by Gateway Commercial Finance and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
Business Standard
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Wall Street Rises Ahead of Inflation Data; Gold and Oil Slip on US
Stocks gain modestly as investors await inflation reports; NFIB index up but gold and oil dip amid cautious sentiment and global trade concerns. The Dow climbed 105.11 points or 0.25 percent to finish at 42,866.87, while the NASDAQ gained 123.75 points or 0.63 percent to close at 19,714.99 and the S&P 500 added 32.93 points or 0.55 percent to end at 6,038.81. The National Federation of Independent Business said the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index in the US increased to 98.8 in May 2025. a lack of major U.S. economic data probably kept traders on the sidelines as they look ahead to the release of crucial reports on consumer and producer price inflation in the coming days. European stocks turned in a mixed performance. the mood remained cautious in most of the markets amid a lack of any significant economic data or earnings news from the region. Crude oil prices were down amidst uncertainty over trade talks between China and the United States continued, although the outcome remains uncertain. West Texas Intermediate crude oil for July delivery closed down by $0.31 to settle at $64.98 per barrel. Gold prices dipped ahead of US inflation report and ongoing US-China official talks which is now the focus of investors from all over the world. Front Month Comex Gold for June delivery lost $11.20 (or 0.34%) to $3320.90 per troy ounce on Tuesday. Front Month Comex Silver for June delivery lost $14.60 cents (or 0.40%) to $36.54 today.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
GameStop earnings, small business optimism: What to Watch
Market Domination Overtime hosts Josh Lipton and Julie Hyman take a look at the top stories to watch on Tuesday, June 10. More earnings reports will be released tomorrow, including from Dave & Buster's (PLAY) and GameStop (GME). GameStop will report its first quarter results after the bell, coming as the company expands into crypto with more than 4,700 bitcoin (BTC-USD) added to its balance sheet. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index for the month of May will be released in the morning. Economists expect the number to hold steady from April at 95.8. Apple's (AAPL) Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will continue into day two in Cupertino, California. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination Overtime here. Sign in to access your portfolio
