US Small-Business Optimism Rose in the Weeks Before the Election.

US small-business optimism increased in October, with the National Federation of Independent Business sentiment index rising to 93.7, matching the highest reading since early 2022. The uncertainty index also reached a new record, likely to decrease now that the election is over. While businesses were less pessimistic about sales expectations, concerns about inflation, labor quality, and taxes remained prevalent. Additionally, firms reported less difficulty attracting qualified talent for open positions in October. [Extracted from the article]