SAN FRANCISCO, May 13 (UPI) -- U.S. small business owners aren't letting interest rate concerns and geopolitical uncertainty get them down, San Francisco based Wells Fargo said Thursday.
The latest results from the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index showed its small business index rose to 100 in April from 93 in March.
Wells Fargo said the modest increase in the index, which measures business confidence and overall market conditions, points to the continued strengthening of small business owner confidence.
Rebecca Macieira-Kaufmann, small business segment manager for Wells Fargo, said, "The overall small business climate remains solid, but there are still some very real concerns among small business owners, including limited growth in sales, an uncertain economy, the rising costs of healthcare, and finding and retaining qualified employees.
The index tracks six key measures for both current conditions and future expectations as reported by small business owners: current financial situation, revenues, cash flow, capital spending, number of jobs, and credit availability.
Wells Fargo said most small business owners surveyed have taken steps in the past year to improve their productivity, while others said they are also likely to hire part-time employees to replace full-time workers who either left voluntarily or were laid off.
