Whats Behind Surging Business Optimism? Likely Some of Trump’s Proposals [Video]

While consumers are expressing a range of feelings about the economic outlook, one category of people is feeling renewed optimism over the direction of the economy: business leaders.

In several surveys since the November election of Donald Trump, business owners and executives have shown a noteworthy turnaround in sentiment.  Perhaps nowhere has this reversal shown itself more clearly than with the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Optimism Index, which surged to its highest level since October 2018 in December.

That followed the November survey results—the first since the election—where the number of small business owners who were optimistic about the economy rose by 41 points.

“Optimism on Main Street continues to grow with the improved economic outlook following the election,” wrote NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg in the report. “Expectations for economic growth, lower inflation, and positive business conditions have increased in anticipation of pro-business policies and legislation in the new year.”

And much of that optimism …