William Dunkelberg Quotations | Page 2

Katrina does put a wrinkle in the outlook. But the survey data indicate strong third and fourth quarters.

The data still point to an acceleration of inflation in 2000, but hint ever so tantalizingly at the possibility that the worst may be past,

Main Street optimism has backed down from the mountain top and is resting on a high plateau. The general view is that things have been going well for so long, they're bound to ease back a bit. Small-business owners aren't painting a doom-and-gloom scenario here. They just sense that the red-hot economy will cool by a degree or two.

Historically, except for the dot-com hiring binge, this is a very solid number.

The 'tone' is terrific but the dollars haven't caught up with the music.

A net 17 percent of small employers plan to increase employment in the next three months, indicating that this year could be a fairly good period for manufacturing if the economy holds and the dollar weakens.

The index suggests that the consensus economic forecasts predicting slower growth for the first half of 1999 will be wrong again. We look for growth in Gross Domestic Product to keep running above 3 percent until at least mid-year.

The index signals a solid start to 2006.

The small business sector is clearly slowing, but there are no signs of 'disorder' in the exiting, ... This is good news for the Fed, which expressed its pleasure by hinting at rate cuts if things slowed too quickly.

Small business owners are raising wages to keep the people already on board and to make open positions more attractive. With many small firms struggling to fill job slots, it's natural to see expansion plans being put on hold.