NFIB News Release (06/11/13)

A May survey of 715 small-business members by the National Federation of Independent Business shows that confidence among small-business owners rose for the second straight month, up 2.3 points to 94.4. However, the Index of Small Business Optimism reveals a one-point decrease in planned job creation, and reported job creation was stagnant after rising for five months. “The unemployment rate remains in the mid-sevens and it is departures from the labor force—not job creation—that are contributing to its decline when it does fall,” says Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist at NFIB. The index shows an average gain of -0.04 workers per firm, and a net 16% of respondents increased worker compensation, marking a one-point gain. Additionally, 47% of respondents hired or tried to hire during the last three months, but of these, 81% reported few or no qualified applicants for open positions.