Widget Image
Follow PPD Social Media
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsEconomySmall Business Optimism Beats Forecast, Hiring Strongest Since 1999

Small Business Optimism Beats Forecast, Hiring Strongest Since 1999

U.S. President Donald J. Trump (C), flanked by Gary Masino (L) of the Sheet Metal Workers Union, Telma Mata (2nd R) of the Heat and Frost Insulators Allied Workers Local 24 and United Brotherhood of Carpenters General President Doug McCarron (R), holds a roundtable meeting at the White House on Jan. 27. 2017. (Photo: Reuters)
U.S. President Donald J. Trump (C), flanked by Gary Masino (L) of the Sheet Metal Workers Union, Telma Mata (2nd R) of the Heat and Frost Insulators Allied Workers Local 24 and United Brotherhood of Carpenters General President Doug McCarron (R), holds a roundtable meeting at the White House on Jan. 27. 2017. (Photo: Reuters)

U.S. President Donald J. Trump (C), flanked by Gary Masino (L) of the Sheet Metal Workers Union, Telma Mata (2nd R) of the Heat and Frost Insulators Allied Workers Local 24 and United Brotherhood of Carpenters General President Doug McCarron (R), holds a roundtable meeting at the White House on Jan. 27. 2017. (Photo: Reuters)

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index rose to 105.2, fueled by significant gains in hiring. The headline number beat the 103.2 consensus forecast.

A seasonally adjusted net 19% said they plan to create new jobs, a gain of 4 points to the highest level since December 1999. Among the 10 components making up the Small Business Optimism Index, 7 improved, 2 declined and 1 was unchanged.

The skills gap continues to pose a challenge to small businesses, as 60% reported hiring or trying to hire, a gain of 6 points. But 52%, which is 87% of those hiring or trying to hire, reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill.

Nineteen percent (19%) cited the difficulty of finding qualified workers as their Single Most Important Business Problem, up 4 points and second only to taxes. The NFIB said this is more severe for construction (28%) and manufacturing (21%) businesses, where labor shortages are the top problem, even more so than taxes and regulatory costs.

Thirty-five percent (35%) of all small business owners said job openings could not be filled in the current period, up 5%, the highest reading since November 2001.

Written by

PPD Business, the economy-reporting arm of People's Pundit Daily, is "making sense of current events." We are a no-holds barred, news reporting pundit of, by, and for the people.

No comments

leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

People's Pundit Daily
You have %%pigeonMeterAvailable%% free %%pigeonCopyPage%% remaining this month. Get unlimited access and support reader-funded, independent data journalism.

Start a 14-day free trial now. Pay later!

Start Trial