FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Iosua, Hawaii State Director,  miosua@mkadvocacy.com
or Tony Malandra, Senior Media Manager, anthony.malandra@nfib.org

HONOLULU, July 15, 2026—Comment from Michael Iosua, state director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in Hawaii, on yesterday’s release of the latest NFIB Small Business Optimism Index, showing it rising 2.1 points in June to 97.4, nearing its 52-year average of 98.0.

“The recent SBET report shows some positive results. However, it is clear for this to be an ongoing trend, Hawaii must ease many of its regulatory restrictions and heavy tax burden for small business owners. We’re looking forward to supporting any efforts to support small businesses in Hawaii in the next legislative session.”

From NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg on the June SBET

“Current economic conditions present small business owners with both encouraging developments and ongoing challenges. Lower fuel costs provide welcome relief for businesses as well as consumers, with firms anticipating improved operating conditions over the next six months. While there have been improvements in the overall environment, high interest rates and modest economic growth are causing owners to approach hiring and capital spending with caution.”

Highlights from the June SBET Include:

• Expectations for better business conditions and real sales expectations improved substantially and primarily drove the rise in the Index.
• The Uncertainty Index fell 2 points from May to 89, remaining well above its historical average of 68.
• Job openings and hiring plans rebounded in June. Thirty-two percent (seasonally adjusted) of all owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period (up 3 points), and a seasonally adjusted net 11% of owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months (up 2 points). The improvement can be seen as a correction from May’s decline.
• Twenty-one percent of business owners cited inflation as their single most important business problem, up 3 points from May and marking the highest reading since October 2024. Inflation ranks as the top problem.

The NFIB Research Center has collected Small Business Economic Trends Data with Quarterly surveys since 1973 and monthly surveys since 1986. The sample is drawn from the membership files of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

Keep up with the latest Hawaii small business news at www.nfib.com or by following NFIB Hawaii on X @NFIB_HI.

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For over 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven association. Since its founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.

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