The Small Business Optimism Index slipped approximately half a point (0.6 points) in May, its third consecutive monthly decline. The Employment Index remained essentially flat, though that’s not the whole employment picture. Beneath those two quiet Indexes are trends pulling small businesses into uncomfortable areas: price increases — both actual and planned — are back to 2022-2023 levels and employment, with unfilled job openings and hiring plans falling to levels last seen in May 2020. Holly Wade and Peter Hansen discuss whether these are early “stress fractures” or a single monthly decline.
Small Business By the Numbers Podcast
Small Business by the Numbers is the NFIB Research Center podcast where we discuss everything related to the small business economy. Co-hosts Holly Wade, the Executive Director of the NFIB Research Center, and Peter Hansen, Director of Research and Policy Analysis, will discuss data, stories, and the economic conditions affecting small businesses nationwide.
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Episode 9
Headline Indexes Hold Steady, but the Underlying Data Reveals More
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