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The August 2006 SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard, which tracks the U.S. small business economy based on the paychecks to employees and contractors, offers a number of encouraging readings.
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Michael Alter, president of SurePayroll.com, reports exports are growing, household incomes are rising, unemployment is low, mortgage rates are running just over 6.5 percent for a 30-year fixed rate loan and personal bankruptcy filings have decreased.

Also, crude oil futures fell below $70 a barrel for the first time since April and consumer and business spending is up.

Alter reports a downside, too.

Property values appear to be softening. Inflation is up. Geopolitical tensions include the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict and recent terrorist activity in Britain.

A survey of 476 small business owners confirm hiring is flat in the small business economy as 81.5 percent of respondents had the same number of employees as in July.

August marked the 12th consecutive month small business salaries have increased. Based on payroll data for more than 17,000 small businesses, the average small business salary across the nation now stands at $30,114 a year.

Copyright (c) 2006. New Orleans City Business.