Small Business Confidence Takes A Scary Dive

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By Jon C. Ogg Updated Published

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The National Federation of Independent Business is out with a report this morning that should be causing some concerns for the broader economy when you consider that it is supposed to be small businesses which add the most jobs during a recovery period.  The group’s small business sentiment indicator fell for the month of March after having risen for six consecutive months.

The new report on the small-business optimism index fell down to 92.5 in March from 94.3 in February.  It also shows a growing concern and a tempering of optimism over employment, earnings, and even over inventory levels.

The report from the economist of NFIB now even calls the employment growth a blip rather than a trend in job growth.  Sadly, this also called the start of a recovery in profits as having fizzled out.

Before thinking it was a one-off, consider that nine of the ten components here took a dive.

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JON C. OGG

Photo of Jon C. Ogg
About the Author Jon C. Ogg →

Jon Ogg has been a financial news analyst since 1997. Mr. Ogg set up one of the first audio squawk box services for traders called TTN, which he sold in 2003. He has previously worked as a licensed broker to some of the top U.S. and E.U. financial institutions, managed capital, and has raised private capital at the seed and venture stage. He has lived in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as New York and Chicago, and he now lives in Houston, Texas. Jon received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance at University of Houston in 1992. www.247wallst.com.

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