WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 15, 2026) – NFIB Research Center Executive Director Holly Wade joined Romaine Bostick and David Gura on Bloomberg: The Close to discuss the most recent Small Business Optimism Index.

Wade analyzes December’s SBET survey, emphasizing how small business owners are feeling more optimistic heading into 2026.

Watch Wade’s full interview here.

“Our December report was largely positive. Small business owners are feeling fairly optimistic about moving into the new year, into 2026, and their expectations of business conditions improved quite a bit over the last month. But, as you mentioned, sales expectations did fall, so we’ll see how this evolves in the next number of months. But largely a solid footing for most small business owners in operating their business.”

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“Well, as you saw in our report, our Uncertainty Index also fell. So, small business owners are feeling a bit more certain, comfortable in operating their business. Consumer spending has supported a lot of small business owners moving through 2025 in the last half while the uncertainty element that was so prevalent in the first half has moderated quite a bit as a lot of those policy shocks at the beginning of the year navigating those challenges have moderated. So, inflation, the labor market, they’re more comfortable in making decisions. And those two challenges that are still quite significant for some small business owners, it has moderated, both have moderated quite a bit for the majority of them in operating their business.”