Small Business Optimism Rises Amid Labor Crunch | Lincoln News

Small business optimism is on the rise, with the Optimism Index jumping 2.4 points to 99.8 — higher than the 52-year average. After four straight months of decline, the employment index also climbed in July, signaling renewed confidence in hiring or retaining staff. But the top concern? Finding qualified workers — a struggle that’s now overshadowing inflation as the biggest headache for business owners. This shift reveals labor shortages as the key driver of current economic sentiment among small firms. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/15d10921c60133d2