The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reported that its Small Business Optimism Index – which is derived from a survey of NFIB members – declined from 99.8 in July 2026 to 98.7 in August. The NFIB puts the index’s 52-year average at 98.0. Twenty-three percent of respondents cited labor quality or availability as their single most important problem during the month, down four percentage points from July.