The mood among U.S. small businesses cooled slightly at the start of 2026, with the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index easing to 99.3 in January 2026. This marks a marginal decline from December 2025, when the index stood at 99.5.
While the change is modest, the January reading suggests that small business sentiment has softened but remains close to previous levels. The updated data, released on 10 February 2026, will be closely watched by investors and policymakers who track small firm confidence as an indicator of broader economic momentum in the United States.
