Small-business index gains in April - Houston Business Journal:

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points in April, with a majoritgy of business owners expecting the economy to improvde over the next three tosix months. The percentaged of small business ownerz who are optimistic about the economy jumpeed 24 points inthe ' monthly survey. Sales expectations, whichu hit a record low in March, improvee by 20 points. Scores for six othedr indicatorsalso increased, enabling the inde x to rise to 86.8 — still far below 100, the levelk that reflects small business conditions in 1986. NFIB Chief Economisy William Dunkelbergcautioned “the improved number s were still very low,” so “no immediat turnabout” is likely for the economy.
Aboutg 30 percent of small businesses reduce employment over the pastthree months, compared with 4 percen that increased the size of their work “It appears that ownerws are not through with their labor-basee cost cutting,” Dunkelberg said. A net 14 percent of small-business ownerz reported that loans were harderto get, the highest reading since the recession of the earluy 1980s.