Small business owners are slightly more optimistic than last year, but they still face disadvantages due to inflation and expenses, leading to higher demand for salary increases and pay rates. The top concerns for small business owners are inflation and the quality of the labor market. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index shows that the percentage of small-business owners expecting improvements by June has dropped six points from August to a net negative 43%, 18 points better than last June's reading of 61%. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index decreased half of a point in September to 90.8, marking its 21st consecutive month below the 49-year average of 98, with 23% of owners stating inflation as their main problem, tied to labor quality. Inflation and tight labor markets have been the chief concerns for small-business owners over the past two years, along with sagging sales.