Small-business owners' confidence in the U.S. economy rose in November, its largest month-over-month gain since May 2018, as owners continued to invest, hire and increase wages, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.
The NFIB survey is a monthly snapshot of small businesses in the U.S., which account for nearly half of private-sector jobs. Economists look to the report for a read on domestic demand and to extrapolate hiring and wage trends in the broader economy. The NFIB survey results -- based on responses from 500 small-business owners last month -- showed that owners who believe it's a good time to expand jumped by six points from a month earlier while those who expect better business conditions increased by three points.