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Inflation Continues to Hinder Small Business Operations
The Optimism Index rose by 1.2 points in April to 89.7, the first increase of this year. This is the 28th consecutive month below the 50- year average of 98. The last time the Index was at or above the average was December 2021. Of the 10 index components, 7 increased, 2 decreased, and 1 was unchanged. Forty percent (seasonally adjusted) of all owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, up 3 points from March’s lowest reading since January 2021. Thirty-four percent have openings for skilled workers (up 3 points) and 18 percent have openings for unskilled labor (up 4 points). The ... (full story)