EVERYTHING IS GOING SWIMMINGLY (CONT’D): Small business optimism drops to record low: Inflation, supply chain woes, labor shortages all taking a toll on economic conditions. “Small business owner optimism edged down for the fifth straight month in May, hitting the lowest point ever recorded as high inflation, supply chain challenges and labor shortages continue to take a toll. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Optimism Index released Tuesday showed small business sentiment fell by 0.1 points last month to 93.1, with the number of small business owners expecting conditions to improve over the next six months dropping four points to a net negative 54%. That is the lowest level in the survey’s 48-year history.”