U.S. Small Business Optimism Weakens in November

• NFIB Small Business Optimism fell to lowest level in three months.

• Economic growth worries surge.

• Pricing gauges continue to strengthen.

The National Federation of Independent Business' (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index weakened to 101.4 during November, down from the recent high of 104.0 and the record 108.8 in August 2018. Nevertheless, it remained up from the April low of 90.9.

A greatly lessened net 8% of respondents felt that the economy would improve, the least since March and down from 39% in June. A slightly lower net 10% expected higher real sales and earnings trends deteriorated. A diminished net 12% of firms of firms thought that now was a good tine to expand, down from the August 2018 peak of 34%. A lessened 47% of firms found few or no qualified candidates to fill job openings. Working higher m/m were the net 21% of firms which planned to raise employment, up from one percent in April, though steady y/y.

Credit was less hard to get by a low two percent of respondents, down from April's high of four percent.

Pricing power improved again. An increased net 18% of firms raised prices, up from price deflation during the spring. A higher net 21% were planning to raise prices in November, the most since January. An improved net 24% of firms raised worker compensation, the most since March, while a markedly higher 20% planned to do so over the next three months, up from April's sevenpercent.

The most important issues for small businesses were the quality of labor (24%), taxes (20%), up from 14% twelve months earlier, and poor sales (13%). The cost of labor troubled a lessened six percent of respondents while competition from large businesses troubled a steady nine percent.

Roughly 24 million small businesses exist in the U.S. and they create 80% of all new jobs. The typical NFIB member employs 10 people and reports gross sales of about $500,000 a year. The NFIB figures can be found in Haver's SURVEYS database.