Poll: Small-business owners the most optimistic since 2008

Small-business owners are the most optimistic they’ve been in seven years, according to the latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index.

Since November, the index has risen from +58 to +71, according to Gallup. The index hit +49 last July.

The latest score, which is still below pre-recession levels, is the highest it’s been since January 2008 when the index hit +83. 

{mosads}Gallup says the index encompasses small-business owners’ views of their present situation and their future relating to capital spending, hiring, credit availablilty, revenue and cash flow.

In the last quarter, small business owners’ views of present conditions increased to +28, up from +21. Their expectations of the future are climbing, too. The owners gave a +43 score for their future, up from +37 in November. 

The Labor Department reported Friday that 257,000 jobs were created last month, more than expected. 

The poll surveyed 603 small business owners in all 50 states from Jan. 5-9 with a margin of error of 4 percentage points.