The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released its Small Business Optimism Index and the results are very optimistic. The results of the new Small Business Optimism Index are the best since before the recession dampened business owner’s enthusiasm for hiring and expansion.
The Index surveyed 568 members of the NFIB. The results showed more small business owners are considering hiring, expanding and investing in equipment and property. Some highlights of the recently released study include:
- 2.3 point increase in the Small Business Optimism Index to 100.4. This is the highest the Index has been since October 2006.
- 6 percentage point rise in the number of owners forecasting higher sales.
- 5 percentage point increase in the number of owners who said now is a good time to expand their company.
- 4 percentage point rise in the number of owners who are expecting to create new jobs and make investments in equipment or property.
The NFIB also reported that business owners were stepping up the pace of hiring in December 2014. Increases in optimism have been seen in the small business sector since the summer of 2014.
