U.S. Small Business Confidence Rises in November Amid Sales Optimism

According to Odaily, the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index in the United States increased to 99.0 in November, up by 0.8 points from October. This rise was driven by improved sales expectations, with six out of ten sub-indices showing growth. However, the uncertainty index climbed by 3 points to 91, partially offsetting the optimism. Concerns persist in the labor market, with the overall situation remaining challenging. Approximately 33% of business owners reported job vacancies in November, up from 32% in October, marking the first increase since June and significantly higher than the historical average of 24%. There are positive signs in employment expectations, as about 19% of business owners plan to hire more employees in the next three months, a 4 percentage point increase from October and the highest level this year. Inflation remains a significant concern in the November data, with the proportion of business owners raising average selling prices increasing from 21% in October to 34%, the highest since March 2023.