Small-business owners are more optimistic, with sales expectations improving and businesses reporting better health. The NFIB’s optimism index rose to 100.8, above the 50-year average. Hiring challenges persist, with one in three businesses unable to fill job openings. Prices are easing, and borrowing costs have improved. Uncertainty among small firms has eased, but only one in five plan major purchases despite tax breaks.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Small firms more confident as sales improve, but hiring lags