---
title: "U.S. Small Business Optimism Shows Slight Increase"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/5dbae2a9-ba04-4a57-b28a-0c691610d561
source: "Franchising.com"
original_url: https://www.franchising.com/articles/us_small_business_optimism_shows_slight_increase.html
author: "Multi-Unit Franchisee"
category: "Finance"
topics: ["Finance & M&A"]
published: 2021-07-21T09:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T01:12:54.753Z
image: https://imgs.franchising.com/art/articles/6133_plate.jpg
---

# U.S. Small Business Optimism Shows Slight Increase

**TL;DR:** The NFIB Optimism Index showed a slight increase in June, rising 2.9 points to 102.5, as small business owners expressed concerns about labor shortages and inflation. The NFIB Uncertainty Index also increased, rising four points to 83.

*By Multi-Unit Franchisee, originally published in Franchising.com on 2021-07-21. [Read the original](https://www.franchising.com/articles/us_small_business_optimism_shows_slight_increase.html).*

## Story

Small business confidence showed a slight increase in June following a decline in May, says the latest NFIB Optimism Index report. Still, small business owners are worried about the labor shortage and inflation. The NFIB Optimism Index increased 2.

9 points in June to 102.5, the first time the Index exceeded 100 since November 2020. Seven of the 10 Index components improved and three declined.

The NFIB Uncertainty Index increased four points to 83. “Small businesses optimism is rising as the economy opens up, yet a record number of employers continue to report that there are few or no qualified applicants for open positions,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Owners are also having a hard time keeping their inventory stocks up with strong sales and supply chain problems.”

Other key findings include: Owners expecting better business conditions over the next six months rose 14 points to a net negative 12%, an improvement but still in very negative territory. Earnings trends over the past three months improved six points to a net negative 5%. The net percent of owners raising average selling prices increased seven points to a net 47% (seasonally adjusted), the highest reading since January 1981.

## Entities

- Franchising.com (publication)
- General (sector)
- Multi-Unit Franchisee (person)
- inflation (topic)
- labor shortage (topic)
- economic trends (topic)
- small business optimism (topic)

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Originally reported by Multi-Unit Franchisee, Franchising.com (https://www.franchising.com/articles/us_small_business_optimism_shows_slight_increase.html). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/5dbae2a9-ba04-4a57-b28a-0c691610d561).