During a survey on small businesses in the U.S. in August 2024, about 21 percent of the respondents stated that the most important problem for small businesses was quality of labor. Additionally, around 24 percent of survey participants said that inflation was the most important problem for their business, a slight increase from August 2023, when inflation was the biggest concern for 23 percent of businesses.

Roughly three-fifths of small businesses preparing holiday season inventory in the United States said in a 2022 survey that in that year, they had ordered business inventory stock earlier and in larger quantities than usual.

United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: Survey Low: Inflation data was reported at 0.000 % in Mar 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 % for Feb 2025. United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: Survey Low: Inflation data is updated monthly, averaging 0.000 % from Jan 2014 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 131 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.000 % in Mar 2025 and a record low of 0.000 % in Mar 2025. United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: Survey Low: Inflation data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Federation of Independent Business. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.S042: NFIB Index of Small Business Optimism. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Almost two-thirds of small businesses preparing holiday season inventory in the United Kingdom said in a 2022 survey that in that year, they had ordered business inventory stock earlier and in larger quantities than usual.

United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: A Year Ago: Inflation data was reported at 25.000 % in Mar 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 23.000 % for Feb 2025. United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: A Year Ago: Inflation data is updated monthly, averaging 3.000 % from Jan 2014 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 130 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37.000 % in Jul 2023 and a record low of 1.000 % in Dec 2021. United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: A Year Ago: Inflation data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Federation of Independent Business. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.S042: NFIB Index of Small Business Optimism. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: Survey High: Inflation data was reported at 41.000 % in Mar 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 41.000 % for Feb 2025. United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: Survey High: Inflation data is updated monthly, averaging 41.000 % from Jan 2014 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 131 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 41.000 % in Mar 2025 and a record low of 41.000 % in Mar 2025. United States SBOI: sa: Most Pressing Problem: Survey High: Inflation data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Federation of Independent Business. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.S042: NFIB Index of Small Business Optimism. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

For 2024, cyber incidents were a leading business risk to companies of all sizes globally according to risk management experts worldwide. Some industries are more prone to cyberattacks than others. For instance, manufacturing was the most targeted industry globally by ransomware incidents in 2023. Meanwhile, the number of cyber incidents in the financial sector increased in recent years. How does cybercrime jeopardize businesses? Cyber incidents pose a multitude of risks to businesses across various aspects. Financially, they can result in direct losses through theft, ransom payments, or disruptions in operations, which affect revenue streams and stability. Between 2001 and 2023, the monetary damage from cybercrime in the United States rose from **** million U.S. dollars to a staggering **** billion dollars. What challenges do businesses face due to inflation? Inflation poses numerous challenges to organizations, affecting consumer spending, interest rates, driving up operational expenses, and creating uncertainty in strategic planning. Rising prices frequently result in increased costs for raw materials and wages, thereby reducing profit margins. Throughout much of the 2010s, inflation was consistently low, especially between 2013 and 2020, when it fluctuated between *** and *** percent. However, the annual global inflation rate peaked in 2022, at **** percent, and is expected to decline in the following years. This heightened inflation was a sign that the global economy was undergoing a period of great uncertainty, which made it more expensive to do business.

In 2023, a survey found that to mitigate the effects of inflation, a significant proportion of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) had to resort to different strategies. A share of 36 percent of them utilized their personal savings to support the business, while 32 percent reduced their business activities. In addition, nearly one-fourth (23 percent) attempted to overcome the financial strain by implementing measures such as employee layoffs or salary cuts.

Despite the higher access to credit, business brokers endured notable declines due to high inflation, rising interest rates and an inconsistent mergers & acquisition (M&A) climate. In contrast to merger and acquisition advisers, business brokers focus on companies valued at less than $2.0 million, often finding the ultimate buyer near the company's location. According to data from the International Business Brokers Association (IBBA), there is currently an oversupply of potential small business buyers and an undersupply of high-quality businesses for sale. This resulted in higher valuations for small businesses before the pandemic, increasing commissions for successfully brokered business sales. In recent years, the acceleration of interest rates to combat high inflation has significantly curtailed small businesses’ fiscal flexibility, causing revenue to fall at a CAGR of 2.5% to an estimated $1.8 billion over the past five years, including an estimated 3.9% boost in 2024. Nearly 50.0% of business brokers are sole proprietors, typically earning between 5.0% and 10.0% of the ultimate sale price in commission. In recent years, optimism surrounding the business-for-sale market has increased among business brokers; however, the effects of high interest rates and a generally restrictive borrowing environment remains the biggest barrier to further growth, according to the IBBA. There needed to be more than the increase in volume and sustained demand for operators’ services to offset the rise in wages and other costs, causing profit to dwindle. Moving forward, the continued uncertainty surrounding interest rates, higher borrowing costs and deceleration in access to credit and the number of businesses are expected to yield slower growth in revenue. Nonetheless, the continuity of lower middle market (LMM) transaction demand, coupled with favorable demographic and private investment trends, will benefit brokers. As a more significant share of the population reaches retirement age, more small businesses will be listed for sale, increasing opportunities for business brokers. Put together, these trends are expected to cause revenue to grow at a CAGR of 1.8% to an estimated $2.0 billion over the next five years.

More than 200 million businesses use Facebook globally. The goal of Meta’s quarterly Small Business Surveys is to learn about the unique perspectives, challenges and opportunities of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

The Future of Business (FoB) Survey is conducted biannually in partnership with the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) across nearly 100 countries. The target population consists of SMEs that have an active Facebook Business Page and include both newer and longer-standing businesses, spanning across a variety of sectors. Meta also conducts the Global State of Small Business (GSoSB) Survey bi-annually in partnership with various academic partners across approximately 30 countries. Similarly to the FoB Survey, the target population is active Facebook Page Administrators, but also includes the general population of Facebook users.

Survey questions for all surveys cover a range of topics depending on the survey wave such as business characteristics, challenges, financials and strategy in addition to custom modules related to regulation, gender inequity, access to finance, digital technologies, reduction in revenues, business closures, international trade, inflation, reduction of employees and challenges/needs of the business.

Aggregated country level data for each survey wave is available to the public on HDX and controlled access microdata is available to Data for Good at Meta partners. Please visit https://dataforgood.facebook.com/dfg/tools/future-of-business-survey to apply for access to microdata or contact dataforgood@fb.com for any questions.

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Commodity: Telecommunication, Cable, and Internet User Services: Local Business Wired Telephone Service (WPU37120101) from Dec 2008 to May 2025 about phone, telecom, internet, wired, business, services, commodities, PPI, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

The Business Confidence Index (BCI) of the United Kingdom was 98.7 in May 2025, compared with 99 in the previous month, an indication that business confidence is falling in the UK. During this time period, business confidence was highest in late 2021, and was at its lowest point in March 2009. Taxation overtakes inflation as main business concern In the third quarter of 2023, inflation was seen by 65 percent of UK firms as a major external concern facing their business. At that time, the UK's inflation rate was still at the relatively high figure of 6.7 percent, although this was down from a peak of 11.1 percent in October 2022. As the rate of inflation continued to fall in 2024, the issue became slightly less pressing for UK businesses, with 49 percent seeing it as a main concern in the second quarter of 2024, although it was still ahead of other issues. In the second half of 2024, however, taxation has emerged as the main worry for UK firms, with 63 percent of businesses citing it as an external concern in the fourth quarter of 2024. This is likely related to the rise in National Insurance businesses will have to pay from April 2025 onwards, one of the main measures announced in the Autumn Budget in October 2024. UK business demographics In 2024, there were approximately 5.5 million private business enterprises in the UK, which was down from a peak of 5.98 million in 2020. As of this year, the UK's private sector workforce was around 27.6 million, compared with 6.1 million who worked in the public sector. While most businesses in the UK are small enterprises that employ fewer than ten people, the UK's large businesses are responsible for employing a large share of the workforce, with around 8.2 million people working for large businesses in 2024. The biggest UK-based company, in terms of global employees in 2024 was the Compass Group, with a global workforce of around half a million, followed by Tesco at 345,000 employees.

United States BIE: Sales Level vs Normal Times: Above/Below Normal: Small Firms data was reported at -8.948 % in Apr 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of -6.927 % for Jan 2025. United States BIE: Sales Level vs Normal Times: Above/Below Normal: Small Firms data is updated quarterly, averaging -5.252 % from Jan 2019 (Median) to Apr 2025, with 26 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.273 % in Jan 2022 and a record low of -35.600 % in Apr 2020. United States BIE: Sales Level vs Normal Times: Above/Below Normal: Small Firms data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.I121: Business Inflation Expectations Survey. Business Inflation Expectations Survey Questionnaire: By roughly what percent are your firm's unit sales levels above/below “normal,” if at all?

United States BIE: Productivity Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data was reported at 65.816 % in Nov 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 69.331 % for Aug 2023. United States BIE: Productivity Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data is updated quarterly, averaging 68.010 % from Nov 2011 (Median) to Nov 2023, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 79.949 % in Nov 2018 and a record low of 60.350 % in Nov 2014. United States BIE: Productivity Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.I122: Business Inflation Expectations Survey: Price Change. Business Inflation Expectations Survey Questionnaire: Projecting ahead over the next 12 months, how do you think the following five common influences will affect the prices of your products and/or services?

Graph and download economic data for Producer Price Index by Industry: Wired Telecommunications Carriers: Business and Other Local Telephone Service (DISCONTINUED) (PCU517110517110112) from Jun 1995 to Dec 2017 about phone, telecom, wired, business, services, PPI, industry, inflation, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

We study the impact of targeted price controls on supermarket products in Argentina between 2007 and 2015. Using web-scraping methods, we collected daily prices for controlled and non-controlled goods and examined the differential effects of the policy on inflation, product availability, entry and exit, and price dispersion. We first show that price controls have only a small and temporary effect on inflation that reverses itself as soon as the controls are lifted. Second, contrary to common beliefs, we find that controlled goods are consistently available for sale. Third, firms compensate for price controls by introducing new product varieties at higher prices, thereby increasing price dispersion within narrow categories. Overall, our results show that targeted price controls are just as ineffective as more traditional forms of price controls in reducing aggregate inflation.

Inflation Expectations in New Zealand increased to 2.29 percent in the second quarter of 2025 from 2.06 percent in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - New Zealand Business Inflation Expectations- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Half of consumers in the United States who were planning to spend more at small businesses over the holiday season in 2022 said that they would do so to support the local economy. This was the most popular response. Around a third of consumers said that small businesses had been affected by inflation, and that is why they planned to give them more business.

United States BIE: Sales Level Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data was reported at 40.831 % in Nov 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 49.521 % for Aug 2023. United States BIE: Sales Level Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data is updated quarterly, averaging 46.598 % from Nov 2011 (Median) to Nov 2023, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 63.557 % in Aug 2022 and a record low of 34.978 % in Aug 2020. United States BIE: Sales Level Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.I122: Business Inflation Expectations Survey: Price Change. Business Inflation Expectations Survey Questionnaire: Projecting ahead over the next 12 months, how do you think the following five common influences will affect the prices of your products and/or services?

United States BIE: Labour Cost Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data was reported at 13.035 % in Nov 2023. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18.833 % for Aug 2023. United States BIE: Labour Cost Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data is updated quarterly, averaging 27.222 % from Nov 2011 (Median) to Nov 2023, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.121 % in Feb 2012 and a record low of 10.256 % in May 2022. United States BIE: Labour Cost Effect on Price: Little or Number Influence data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.I122: Business Inflation Expectations Survey: Price Change. Business Inflation Expectations Survey Questionnaire: Projecting ahead over the next 12 months, how do you think the following five common influences will affect the prices of your products and/or services?