[Source: www.bizjournals.com, May 10, 2010]
Optimism among small business owners remains weak but it is improving, according to the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey conducted in April.
The optimism index came in at negative 11, a five-point improvement from the previous survey that was conducted in January 2010. Owner optimism improved 10 points from the survey low of -21 shown last July, an upward trend over the past three quarters.
A score of zero indicates that small business owners, as a group, are neutral – neither optimistic nor pessimistic – about their companies’ situations.
Fifty-four percent rated their company’s current financial situation as somewhat or very good today, up from 48 percent in January.
Forty-two percent rated their cash flow as somewhat or very good for the past 12 months, up from 39 percent in January.
“As consumer and business spending appeared to pick up pace, this bolstered small business owners’ optimism around their current situation,” said Scott Anderson, Wells Fargo senior economist.
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