by Calculated Risk on 10/13/2015 09:00:00 AM

From the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB): NFIB Small Business Optimism Index increased only 0.2 points last month

The Index of Small Business Optimism was basically unchanged in September, rising only 0.2 points, this after an August gain of only 0.5 points. ...

Overall, a solid improvement in hiring activity. There was no evidence in the NFIB data that job creation slacked off sharply from June and July, each with 245,000 jobs. Reported job creation returned to its best level of the year, with owners adding a net 0.18 workers per firm in recent months, up 0.05 from August.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows the small business optimism index since 1986.

The index increased to 96.1 in September from 95.9 in August.