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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION
Small businesses less optimistic in April: survey
Small business owners in Manitoba were markedly less optimistic in April, worrying about domestic demand and the shortage of skilled labour.
Manitoba’s level of optimism dropped 4.6 points in the April edition of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) monthly Business Barometer.
Manitoba’s index of 65.2 is now below the national score of 66.4.
Nationally, small and mid-sized businesses (SMEs) were a little less optimistic in April compared with the month before dropping 1.3 points in the index.
It’s the second-best national reading of the year and the first decline registered since August 2011.
More than 60 per cent of Manitoba respondents to the survey said taxes and regulations, wages and fuel and energy are the top cost pressures for small businesses.
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Survey: German consumer confidence rises as economy, income expectations improve
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