NFIB Oct Small-Business Optimism Index 87.5 Vs 92.9 In Sep

   By Michael S. Derby 
   Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES 
 

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--U.S. small-business operators reported widespread gloom in October, according to a survey released Tuesday.

The National Federation of Independent Business said that its index of small-business optimism hit its third-lowest reading in 35 years last month, coming in at 87.5 from 92.9 in September.

The overall index was dragged down by pessimism over the creation of new jobs and capital spending. The index showed broad-based worries about the economy and future sales levels.

October's findings are "not a pretty picture" and are "a clear indication that the economy is solidly lodged in a recessionary mire," the report said.

The NFIB survey continued to find that the credit crisis remains a bit of a mixed bag for small companies. The report noted there had not been "much change" on this front and that while it was less difficult to get a loan, demand for credit was down and only 5% of respondents even rated getting financing as their top concern.

When it came to hiring, the story was grim. The NFIB found less than half of firms trying to add to staffs, and of those that attempted to do so three quarters struggled to find acceptable workers.

Looking down the road, only 9% of companies plan to create new jobs and 15% plan to cull payrolls. The dark employment situation was spread across most of the nation, the report said.

One bright spot in the report was the fate of price pressures. The NFIB report said inflation gains continue to "abate" in the face of recession-like sales trends. While it is still a "high" reading, the net percentage of firms reporting higher selling prices fell by five points to 15% of respondents in October.

"Price stability is still some distance away at the core level," which strips out food and energy factors, the report said. However, "falling gas prices will ... bring relief to the headline [consumer price index] inflation measure," it said.

The NFIB survey began in 1973, and it is closely watched given its broad-based canvassing of small-business operators.

   -By Michael S. Derby; Dow Jones Newswires, 201-938-4192 
   michael.derby@dowjones.com 
 

Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/al?rnd=6NlmY0aFxCN%2F%2BlgX8%2BRclQ%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 11, 2008 07:30 ET (12:30 GMT)


Copyright 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

The Dow Jones content is the property of Dow Jones or its licensors, and is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws. If you are an individual, you agree not to store, copy, reproduce, modify, distribute, transmit, display, perform, publish, transfer, create derivative works from, broadcast or circulate any Dow Jones content to anyone, including but not limited to others in the same company or organization, without the express prior written consent of Dow Jones. If you are an entity, you agree not to permit access to the Dow Jones content by anyone other than an employee of you.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Dow Jones content may be copied and sent without charge in the ordinary course of business provided all copyright and other proprietary rights notices, the original source attribution, and the phrase "Used with permission from Dow Jones & Company” are included. Dow Jones content may only be used in this way for a non-commercial purpose, meaning such copying:
(i) is made on either an infrequent or irregular basis to a limited number of individuals;
(ii) is incidental to the purpose of your principal business;
(iii) cannot be used as a substitute for any Dow Jones content or any substantial part of it;
(iv) has no independent commercial value;
(v) is not separately charged for; and
(vi) is not made in connection with commercial information broking, information vending, publishing or credit rating, nor for substantial reproduction through the press or media, nor for transmission via any private or public network, cable or satellite system.

You may not post any Dow Jones content to forums, newsgroups, mail lists, electronic bulletin boards, or other services, without the prior written consent of Dow Jones. To request consent for this and other matters, you may contact Dow Jones at djnewswires@dowjones.com .

The Dow Jones content is not intended for trading purposes. The Dow Jones content is not appropriate for the purposes of making a decision to carry out a transaction or trade. Nor does it provide any form of advice (investment, tax, legal) amounting to investment advice, or make any recommendations regarding particular financial instruments, investments or products. Dow Jones may discontinue or change the Dow Jones content at any time, without notice.

The Dow Jones content includes facts, views, opinions and recommendations of individuals and organizations deemed of interest. Dow Jones does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of, or otherwise endorse, these views, opinions and recommendations.

DOW JONES IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DELAY IN YOUR RECEIPT OF THE DOW JONES CONTENT RESULTING FROM THE INHERENT LIMITATIONS OF INTERNET TRANSMISSION VIA THE WORLD WIDE WEB. DUE TO THE NUMBER OF SOURCES FROM WHICH THE DOW JONES CONTENT IS OBTAINED, AND THE INHERENT HAZARDS OF ELECTRONIC DISTRIBUTION, THERE MAY BE DELAYS, OMISSIONS OR INACCURACIES IN THE DOW JONES CONTENT. THE DOW JONES CONTENT IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES. DOW JONES AND ITS AFFILIATES, AGENTS AND LICENSORS CANNOT AND DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENTNESS, TIMELINESS, NONINFRINGEMENT, TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF THE DOW JONES CONTENT, AND DOW JONES HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY SUCH EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES. NEITHER DOW JONES NOR ANY OF ITS AFFILIATES, AGENTS OR LICENSORS SHALL BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY LOSS OR INJURY, OTHER THAN DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY RESULTING DIRECTLY FROM USE OF THE DOW JONES CONTENT, CAUSED IN WHOLE OR PART BY ITS NEGLIGENCE OR CONTINGENCIES BEYOND ITS CONTROL IN PROCURING, COMPILING, INTERPRETING, REPORTING OR DELIVERING THE DOW JONES CONTENT. IN NO EVENT WILL DOW JONES, ITS AFFILIATES, AGENTS OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY DECISION MADE OR ACTION TAKEN BY YOU IN RELIANCE ON SUCH DOW JONES CONTENT. DOW JONES AND ITS AFFILIATES, AGENTS AND LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANYONE ELSE FOR ANY DAMAGES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, OR SIMILAR DAMAGES), OTHER THAN DIRECT DAMAGES, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE LIABILITY OF DOW JONES, ITS AFFILIATES, AGENTS AND LICENSORS ARISING OUT OF ANY CLAIM RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT EXCEED THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT PAID BY YOU FOR THE DOW JONES CONTENT IN THE 12 MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO SUCH CLAIM. BECAUSE SOME STATES OR JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR DAMAGES OR THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN TYPES OF WARRANTIES, PARTS OR ALL OF THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

These Terms of Use, your rights and obligations, and all actions contemplated by these Terms of Use will be governed by the laws of England and Wales, and You and Dow Jones agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.
If any provision in these Terms of Use is invalid or unenforceable under applicable law, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect, and the invalid or unenforceable provision will be deemed superseded by a valid, enforceable provision that most closely matches the intent of the original provision.