Firms shedding jobs, cutting inventories amid weak sales, NFIB says

MarketWatch ^ | 01-12-10 | Rex Nutting

[bugseye]

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - U.S. small businesses are stilling shedding jobs and cutting inventories amid weak sales and low expectations, the National Federation of Independent Businesses reported Tuesday.

The NFIB small-business index fell in December to 88.0 from 88.3 in November, the lobbying organization said. The index has been below 90 for two years and bottomed at 81 in March. Read the full report on the NFIB website.

The index has been in a narrow range since April, in contrast to sizable gains in such indicators such as the Institute for Supply Management index, which is dominated by large firms.

Small-business owners remain pessimistic.

Profits are down and few owners say now is a good time to expand. Sales are weak, and more firms are cutting prices than raising them. Inventories are still too high. Capital spending plans are on hold. More business are reducing jobs than are hiring. Credit conditions remain tight and the political climate is negative, according to 830 business owners who responded to the NFIB survey.

[bugseye]

Money quote: ' There is little hope and the change that is being delivered is far from encouraging...'

[jessduntno]

"The answer is 'hope and change.' There is little hope and the change that is being delivered is far from encouraging. Washington is offering nothing but higher taxes and fines and fees and more regulation."

[elpadre]

business owners are wary and rightfully very concerned by this WH and Congress and will not move out of their defensive mode until change comes in WDC,IMO.

[Zakeet]

Money quote IMHO: "So why hasn't owner optimism soared like it usually does at the end of a recession, especially one that cut so deeply into our economic fabric?" asked William Dunkelberg, NFIB chief economist. "The answer is 'hope and change.' There is little hope and the change that is being delivered is far from encouraging. Washington is offering nothing but higher taxes and fines and fees and more regulation."

"Confidence in our political leadership has tanked," Dunkelberg said.

[TSgt]

When the government opened the second stimulus, I heard the Barney Frank say, "Come!" Then another horse came out, a unicorn. Its rider was given power to take poverty from the earth and to make businesses hire people. His horse shat rainbow skittles.

[Kartographer]

BUT...But...but the Unicorn Master PROMISED!

[twistedwrench]

Unfortunately, The only expansion available right now is
as the financially weaker companies shut their doors,
You try to pickup a few new customers.

[ridesthemiles]

On Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, DNC Chairman Tim Caine said:

The job losses are slowing down dramatically, and the Republicans had nothing to do with it”.

Note to Caine and other Dimorats:

The bucket that holds jobs is about out of jobs to lose- small business is at the bottom of the bucket. That kind of slowdown has nothing to do with the economy getting better-— it just means there is no more left in the bucket to lose.

What a bunch of morons.

[ridesthemiles]

How about a challenge to Freepers across the Country:

Please pick up your local paper and compare the number of Help wanted ads versus the number of Commercial spaces for rent in your local papers.....

[RipSawyer]

it just means there is no more left in the bucket to lose.
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Absolutely, as I have said before if these clowns witnessed an old fashioned pig sticking they would see a fount of blood shoot three feet high and then it would slow and fall lower and lower and just as it dwindled to a trickle they would pronounce that the pig is obviously in recovery.