Inflation Still Concerns Global Small Business Owners

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Inflation is the single most important problem for many global small-business owners, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) said, despite price rises slowing to their lowest level in two years in June. Many owners are also reporting a struggle to fill job openings, the federation said.

The percentage of owners expecting an improvement in business conditions in the next six months rose by 10 points to a net negative 30, the highest reading in nearly two years but still very low compared with the historical average, NFIB said.

Read more about how confidence for global small business owners ticked up in July but inflation concerns still weigh on businesses.

How Do You Stay Optimistic Despite Concerns About Trade Disputes and a Slowing Global Economy?

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The latest National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) survey finds continuing labor shortage and higher pay for workers.  Small businesses are hiring but still struggling to find help—even as they raise wages.

How do they stay optimistic despite concerns about trade disputes and a slowing global economy? A separate NFIB survey out this week suggests it has a lot to do with the positive impact of the 2017 Trump tax reforms.  Really?

Let's take a look at one person's opinion piece -- keep an open mind and draw your own conclusions.

USA Small Business Outlook According to NFIB

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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released, "NFIB Small Business Economic Trends" by William C. Dunkelberg and Holly Wade.

The report itself seems to come across as pretty much optimistic from the view of the SME market lens and their outlook.  However, as the author writes:

And no matter how the NFIB spins Tuesday’s [1/8/19] report, reading from U.S. corporates like Apple (AAPL), South Korean giant Samsung, the U.S. manufacturing sector, the Chinese manufacturing sector, the German industrial sector, and the U.S. services sector all point to a global economy that is, at a minimum, in a lower gear.

Factor this in:

This marked the fourth-straight month of declines for the index and is the largest four-month slide since 2012, according to Bespoke Investment Group.

Read more about how small businesses might be starting to lose faith in the current USA administration.

A Golden Age for Small Business

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Since President Trump took office, small-business owners have grown more confident in the economy.

The businesses in the survey [The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ Index of Small Business Optimism] reported increased confidence on nearly every front, saying they expected higher sales and planned to hire more workers, increase inventories and expand their business.

Corporations are currently taxed at a lower top rate than pass-through businesses, which account for 75 percent of small businesses. They pay the same tax rates as any other worker.

President Trump:  “America is on the verge of a golden age for small business,” he said at a recent White House event with more than 100 small business owners.

Read more ...

2015 a Breakout Year for Small Businesses

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The National Federation of Independent Business reported that optimism among small businesses in December reached its highest level in eight years.

Considerably more small business owners said now is a good time to expand, NFIB reported, with capital investments and hiring both on the rise. Some 60% reported capital outlays, with 42% reporting spending on new equipment, 23% acquiring new vehicles and 16% expanding or improving their facilities.

Let's hope 2015 is a breakout year for small businesses.

Read the entire article:  NFIB Reports Small Business Optimism Grows in December