Director: Trying Times for Small Businesses

Small business optimism for the economy to improve is at the lowest it's been in the last 48 years, according to the latest small business trends survey by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Small businesses' plans to increase employment is also down by 7 percent compared to last month. Sentiment to expand is down 3 percent, and expectations for sales to increase is down 13 percent. The survey says these are indicators that make a very strong case for an upcoming decline in economic activity. It says the only questions now are how long and how severe the downturn will be. NTD spoke with Ashley Ranslow, New York state director for the NFIB, about the report.