Small Business Optimism Rose Slightly But Remains Below Average: Survey

Businesses are expected to benefit from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s provisions in the coming few months, an economist said.

A sign at a store in Norfolk, Va., on Oct. 5, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

Optimism among American small businesses rose marginally last month, with inflation being one of the key challenges, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) said in a May 12 statement.

“The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 0.1 points in April to 95.9, below its 52-year average of 98.0 for the second consecutive month,” the federation said.