Report: Small business optimism continues to fall

Small business optimism on a national scale, according to one major monthly survey, remains subpar.  

This comes from the NFIB's Small Business Optimism Index. It decreased 0.6 of a point in August to 91.3. That's the 20th consecutive month below the 49-year average of 98. 

The main culprit in the decline in optimism remains inflation: nearly one-fourth, 23%, of small business owners reported inflation was their single most important business problem, up two points from last month. The net percent of owners raising average selling prices, the report found, increased two points to a net 27% (seasonally adjusted), still at an inflationary level.