Small Business Optimism Rises but Labor Stalls | Texas News

Small business optimism is on the rise, with the sentiment index jumping 2.4 points in July to 99.8—its first climb above the 52-year average in four months. Hiring plans and capital spending are rebounding, with a quarter of owners eyeing new equipment or facilities, the highest since last December. Yet, labor shortages and high costs remain major hurdles: 36% report unfilled positions, the highest since June 2025. While hiring expectations rose nine points to their highest since 2022, experts caution that this is just one month’s data and a full recovery isn’t confirmed—watching the next few months will be key. 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/8c06ccd503d4c22a