Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Business
Guardian community team

US small business owners: how are you operating in the current economic climate?

United States Donald Trump Inflation
Cafes and shops on a pedestrianised main street in virginia
How are small businesses in the US faring in the current economic climate? Photograph: Ian Dagnall/Alamy

An index of US small business optimism reportedly fell in May to the lowest level since October 2024, which Bloomberg says has erased “almost all of the gains seen since President Donald Trump was elected for a second term”.

The National Federation of Independent Business optimism index fell 0.6 points to 95.3, according to data put out last week. The measure had previously hit a six-year high in December 2024 following Trump’s re-election.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
We are reclaiming real life after getting rid of Instagram
Letters: Readers on taking back their lives – and brains – from social media algorithms
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
The U.K.'s Online Safety Act Has Been a Failure. Regulators Want To Broaden It Anyway.
A new report reveals more shortcomings of the U.K.’s Online Safety Act.
Reason
Reason
British Embassy quashes Winnie-the-Pooh return rumors, keeping the famed bear in New York
It turns out Winnie-the-Pooh and his fluffy friends aren’t being bear-napped from their longtime home at the New York Public Library
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
79 Nostalgic Photos That Take ’80s Kids Straight Back To Their Childhoods
80s had everything: bright neon colors, ABBA, Queen, and Madonna on the radio, huge power suits, and poofy hair that is now only associated with hair metal bands. If you love this decade, take a trip down memory lane with these pics from r/80s, where people share nostalgic items and…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Billy Corgan defends decades-long friendship with Marilyn Manson
Billy Corgan haș defended his friendship with Marilyn Manson, insisting that just because he stood by the rocker amid sexual abuse allegations, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have “an opinion”.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Ancestors all around – millions of dead people linger in Americans’ memories
Halloween kicks off a series of religious and cultural festivals to honor the dead, including All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day and the Day of the Dead. But deceased loved ones don’t disappear from people’s social worlds once the ghost and skeleton decorations come down.
The Conversation
The Conversation
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play