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The average small-business paycheck went up slightly last month, according to the October SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard, an economic indicator that tracks the health of U.S. small businesses.
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The SurePayroll Pay Index for the nation increased to 937 in October from 932 at the end of September. Hiring, however, decreased slightly too. The October hiring index dropped to 10,470, down from 10,480 at the end of September. The index is calculated with data from 15,000 customers.

"In 15 of the last 18 months, small-business hiring has been trending up and small-business salaries have been trending down," said Michael Alter, president of the online payroll service. "In September and October, we've seen the opposite: lower hiring and higher paychecks."

Even though hiring is down, it appears that most small-business owners remain optimistic. In an October survey conducted by SurePayroll, 81 percent of respondents indicated they are optimistic about the small-business economy.

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