small and medium sized businesses in the usa I don't feel very optimistic As we continue to deal with weak sales; inflation pressureAccording to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).
The industry's sentiment index fell nine-tenths to 88.5 in March, its lowest level since December 2012, according to the NFIB. This decline partly means business owners are still dealing with the lingering pains associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.placed serious stress About small and medium-sized enterprises.
“Owners continue to deal with economic headwinds,” said Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist at NFIB. He added: “Inflation has once again been reported as the No. 1 business issue on Main Street, and the labor market has only eased slightly.”
The March 2024 survey conducted by NFIB's Research Center collects data on economic trends for small and medium-sized enterprises. Respondents will be randomly selected from among NFIB members.
Sales in the small and medium-sized business sector decreased. According to the report, it rose 8 points in March, resulting in a net negative 18%. It added that the main factor behind last month's index decline was a decline in sales.
NFIB said inflation concerns, along with a possible slowdown in economic activity, are causing owners to put the brakes on plans to fill open positions. monthly employment report. Only about 11% of business owners plan to create new jobs in the next three months. This was down one percentage point from February and the lowest level since May 2020, according to the report.
“Main Street job openings are now consistent with pre-pandemic levels,” NFIB's Dunkelberg said. “The small business labor market remains tight, and business owners continue to compete to retain and recruit employees.”
More retail news
Best Buy is reportedly laying off most of its tech support team.
McDonald's and Chipotle may raise prices due to California's minimum wage hike
Express may soon file for bankruptcy
