A new survey found that U.S. small business confidence has dropped to a six-month low and found that inflation and difficulty in filling positions were top issues cited, The Hill reported. The National Federation of Independent Business announced yesterday that its Small Business Optimism Index decreased by 2.1 points in December to 89.8, which is the lowest since June and marks the twelfth consecutive month that the index was below its 49-year average of 98. Small business owners who expect better business conditions over the next six months dropped by 8 points between November and December, falling to a net-negative of 51 percent, according to the release. Inflation remained a top issue for small-business owners, as 32 percent said it was the top problem in their operations. Worker shortages also remained a problem, as 41 percent of business owners reported that open job positions were difficult to fill, which is a slight downtick from the 44 percent who reported the same issue in November.
