Economics

Optimism Among U.S. Small Businesses Improves From Six-Month Low

An American flag is displayed on a factory floor in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg
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Optimism among U.S. small-business owners rose slightly in October from a six-month low as capital spending plans improved, indicating stable but cooler economic growth.

The National Federation of Independent Business’s gauge advanced 0.6 points to 102.4, close to this year’s average and exceeding the median projection in a Bloomberg survey of economists.