End of 'Recovery'? Small-Business Outlook Fell in March, NFIB Says

After six months of gains, a small-business optimism index fell by almost 2 points in March, the National Federation of Independent Businesses said Monday.

"After a promising start to the year, nine of 10 index components dropped last month, most notably hiring plans and expected real sales growth each taking a significant dive," NFIB said in a statement.

NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said, "What looked like the start of a recovery in profits fizzled out. The mood of owners is subdued -- they just cant seem to shake off the uncertainties out there, and confidence in the management team in Washington is flagging."

The March survey ended what appeared to be a steady, albeit slow, trend of improvement for the small-business sector of the economy. The percent of owners reporting inflation as their No. 1 business problem is now at 9 percent, an increase from 6 percent in January. Reports of increases in average selling prices are rising and a net 21 percent of the owners plan to raise their selling prices in the coming months.

Read the complete study here.