Small-business hiring and confidence about the future are rising, a
signal of the economy's growing strength and diminishing concerns about
employee insurance coverage required by the new health care law.
Job
creation at small companies has almost doubled in the last six months,
reaching 82,000 jobs at firms with 49 or fewer employees in July,
according to payroll processor ADP. Borrowing by small
businesses and sales of new franchises have also climbed, indicating
business owners are willing to take on new expenses and risk.
Surveys
by the National Federation of Independent Business say business-owner
confidence has risen this year but remains below pre-recession levels. Read more...
