- Prior 99.3
- Full report here
This is a minor setback but the index remains above its 52-year average of 98. This is not a market moving report and it certainly won't be now that the focus is solely on the US-Iran war.
NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said: "Although optimism declined slightly, small businesses report feeling more certain in February as they look toward the coming months. High sales and increased profits made February a more positive month for many owners, but competition from large businesses is putting stress on Main Street firms as they navigate the current economic climate. Labour quality and sales improved."
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index is a monthly economic indicator that measures the "pulse" of small businesses in the United States. Published by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) since 1973, it is considered a leading indicator of the health of the U.S. economy because small businesses account for roughly 50% of the nation's private-sector workforce. Despite this, it's not a market moving report because of its volatile nature and the fact that it mostly correlates with the ISM PMIs.
