Posted 3/19/2024, 5:15:57 PM
Small Business Optimism Sinks as Inflation Becomes Top Concern
- Small business optimism index fell to 89.4 in February, below 50-year average of 98 for 26th straight month
- 23% of small business owners said inflation was their top problem, up from 20% in January
- Inflation remains elevated, with consumer prices rising 3.2% year-over-year in February
- "Core" inflation, excluding food and energy, was up 0.4% from January to February
- 54% of small business owners reported capital expenditures in last 6 months, down 5 percentage points from January
