The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped 5.5 points from the previous month to 90.9 in April 2020, its lowest level since March 2013, as the coronavirus pandemic hurt the economy. Sales expectations for the next six months tumbled 30 points to -42, the lowest level in the survey’s 46-year history. Still, small-business owners' optimism about future conditions indicates they expect the recession to be short-lived, with the gauge for business conditions expectations over the next six months erasing all of March's decline.

NFIB Business Optimism Index in the United States averaged 98.38 points from 1975 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 108.80 points in August of 2018 and a record low of 80.10 points in April of 1980. This page provides - United States Nfib Business Optimism Index - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. United States Nfib Business Optimism Index - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2020. source: National Federation of Independent Business

NFIB Business Optimism Index in the United States is expected to be 85.00 points by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate NFIB Business Optimism Index in the United States to stand at 95.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the United States Nfib Business Optimism Index is projected to trend around 99.00 points in 2021 and 102.00 points in 2022, according to our econometric models.

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United States Nfib Business Optimism Index

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
90.90 96.40 108.80 80.10 1975 - 2020 points Monthly
SA


Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2020-02-11 11:00 AM Jan 104.3 102.7 103.4 103.2
2020-03-10 10:00 AM Feb 104.5 104.3 104.5 104
2020-04-07 10:00 AM Mar 96.4 104.5 95
2020-05-12 10:00 AM Apr 90.9 96.4 80
2020-06-09 10:00 AM May 90.9 86 85
2020-07-14 10:00 AM Jun 85
2020-08-11 10:00 AM Jul
2020-09-08 10:00 AM Aug
Go to our Calendar for more events. Or learn more about the Calendar API for direct access.


News Stream
US Small Business Optimism Hits 7-Year Low
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index dropped 5.5 points from the previous month to 90.9 in April 2020, its lowest level since March 2013, as the coronavirus pandemic hurt the economy. Sales expectations for the next six months tumbled 30 points to -42, the lowest level in the survey’s 46-year history. Still, small-business owners' optimism about future conditions indicates they expect the recession to be short-lived, with the gauge for business conditions expectations over the next six months erasing all of March's decline.
2020-05-12
US Small Business Morale Posts Record Monthly Fall
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index tumbled 8.1 points from a month earlier to 96.4 in March 2020, the largest monthly decline in the survey's history, as the coronavirus pandemic hurt businesses, jobs and demand. Also, the index hit the lowest level since October 2016 as small-business owners put on hold plans for expansion and hiring. Most of the survey's responses were collected in the first half of the month, before the imposition of strict measures to contain the rapid spread of Covid-19. Meanwhile, about half of respondents to a separate NFIB survey done in late March said that they could only survive by up to two months under the current business conditions.
2020-04-07
US Small Business Optimism Improves in January
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index in the US jumped to 104.3 in January of 2020 from 102.7 in December, beating market forecasts of 103.4. January's reading was within one of the top 10 percent higher of all figures. 6 of the 10 index components improved, two declined, and two were unchanged, with the uncertainty index edging up slightly. Owners expecting better business conditions dipped slightly, but sales expectations and earnings trends improved significantly.
2020-02-11
US NFIB Business Optimism Below Forecasts
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index in the US fell to 102.7 in December 2019 from 104.7 in November, missing market expectations of 103.1. Seven out of the ten index components dropped, two improved, and one was unchanged. The frequency of plans to raise compensation declined 2 points, still it remains one of the highest readings in the survey’s 46-year history. Three percent of owners reported that all their borrowing needs were not satisfied, unchanged and near a record low. On the other hand, small businesses continued to hire and create new jobs with actual job creation matching November’s reading, the highest since May. An increased number of small business owners reported better business conditions and expect higher nominal sales in the next three months. Overall, the Main Street economic machine continued to push the economy forward.
2020-01-14

United States Nfib Business Optimism Index
NFIB Small Business Optimism Index is a composite of ten seasonally adjusted components calculated based on the answers of around 620 NFIB members. This questions include: plans to increase employment, plans to make capital outlays, plans to increase inventories, expect economy to improve, expect real sales higher, current inventory, current job openings, expected credit conditions, now a good time to expand, and earnings trend.