Small Business Optimistic, Third-Quarter Survey Finds
MCLEAN, Va.-Small businesses across the nation are expressing overall optimism about the U.S. economy and expect to see continued improvement in their financial performance over the next six months, according to Capital One's Spark Small Business Barometer for the third quarter.
But more than half (52%) of small businesses nationwide say current business conditions are only fair or poor. Other trends found in this quarter's survey:
Systemic challenges continue to be recurring top-of-mind obstacles. Some 28% identifed the economy as the most important long-term challenge. Health care costs (19%) and government regulations (15%) rounded out the survey's top three long-term challenges.
CU Net Interest Margin And ROA Dipped In August
ARLINGTON, Va.-As interest rates inch up, credit union ROA is dipping along with net interest margin, according to NAFCU's October Economic & CU Monitor.
The monthly survey of NAFCU members showed that net interest margin for survey participants decreased by one basis point in August to 2.49%; ROA fell by eight basis points to 0.78%. CUs' average net worth ratio slipped by seven basis points to 10.62%.
NAFCU said though the long-term trend for ROA has been favorable since 2008, declining fee income should continue to exert downward pressure on ROA.
The survey also found that member growth remained strong at 4.8% for August. Year-over-year share growth remained at 5.8% and loan growth increased to 8.4% from 7.8% in July.
Looking at education and training budgets, the report indicated that 38% of respondents plan to increase those spending lines.
