Small Business News You Can Use (5/9)

An index of confidence at small U.S. businesses rose in April to its highest in over a year as companies stepped up plans for hiring and investing, a survey released on Tuesday showed. In April, 62,000 new jobs — were in good-paying business and professional services careers, meaning more architects, engineers, computer programmers and consultants are finding jobs. Also, we added another 19,000 manufacturing jobs in April. A measure of how many U.S. workers quit their jobs held steady in March, suggesting a recent slowdown in hiring has not triggered a major deterioration of confidence in the labor market. According to the National Federation for Independent Business, one in 10 business owners says energy is his or her single greatest cost, ranking it ahead of wages, materials and other investments that help companies thrive. Another 25 percent claim it as the second or third biggest expense.