USA’s Small Business Job Growth Slows to End 2018; Hourly Earnings Growth Increases
Small Business Employment Watch closed the year with a decline in small business job growth and continued, moderate growth in hourly earnings. The Small Business Jobs Index stands at 98.88 in December, down 0.13 percent for the month and 0.82 percent for the year. At $26.95, hourly earnings in December gained 2.42 percent ($0.64) year-over-year and averaged a growth rate of 2.49 percent for 2018.
The Paychex | IHS Markit Small Business Employment Watch closed the year with a decline in small business job growth and continued, moderate growth in hourly earnings.
"At 98.88, the Small Business Jobs Index continued its decline through the end of 2018, confirming that it's a difficult hiring environment for the country's small businesses," said James Diffley, chief regional economist at I...