Small-business owners felt more uncertain about the future in January, as they continue to deal with labor challenges and lingering inflation.

According to a monthly poll of small-business owners from the National Federation of Independent Business, the uncertainty index in January rose 14 points to 100 – the third- highest recorded reading, after two months of decline. The NFIB said small-business owners are feeling less confident about investing in their business due to uncertain business conditions in the coming months.

The response mirrors overall consumer confidence, which plummeted in February, the biggest monthly decline in more than four years.

In the NFIB poll, optimism fell by 2.3 points in January to 102.8, but remained high. Optimism surged after the presidential election, and the index still topped the the 51-year average of 98 for the third month in a row.

• 18% percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in operating their business, down two points from December and matching labor quality as the top issue.

• 35% reported job openings they could not fill in January, unchanged from December.

• 20% plan capital outlays in the next six months, down 7 percentage points.

Fed survey cites worker worries

Almost one-third of U.S. workers are concerned about getting laid off by their employers, a share that’s risen significantly over the past six months, according to a new Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia survey.

Among younger and older cohorts, employees ages 18-35 and those 56-65, concern about losing jobs was the highest in at least two years, the Philly Fed’s January 2025 Labor, Income, Finances, and Expectations Survey published Wednesday shows. Some 30% of workers said they were concerned about their employer’s ability to stay in business.

The survey points to other stresses for younger Americans, too. The share of respondents in the 18-35 group who expressed worry about making ends meet over the next six months rose to 40% in January, from 36% last July, and there was a similar rise in longer-term concerns.

Meanwhile, higher- income adults are feeling better about the outlook since President Donald Trump’s election victory. In October, some 28% of respondents making $150,000 or more were concerned about making ends meet in seven–12 months, but that fell to 21% in the latest survey.

Alexa to be ‘best friend’ for a fee

Amazon on Wednesday unveiled a generative-AI infused Alexa that it says will allow the popular voice assistant to have more personality, check a user’s tone and even plan romantic dates.

But unlike before, when Alexa was offered for free on any Alexa-enabled devices, customers will have to pay Amazon a monthly fee of $19.99 for the revamped voice assistant, which it calls Alexa+. However, the generative-AI powered Alexa will be free for Prime members, who pay the company a monthly or annual fee for free delivery and other perks.

The company says Alexa+ is able to have conversations with a more natural, humanlike flow and can learn more about a user — such as dietary preferences or allergies — the more it’s used.

“I’m not just an assistant, I’m your new best friend in the digital world,” Alexa+ said during an onstage demo on Wednesday.

Joann closing all of its stores

Fabric and crafts retailer Joann Inc., which has been a destination for generations of quilters, knitters and lovers of crafts projects for more than 80 years, is going out of business and shuttering all its stores.

The announcement comes after the Hudson, Ohio-based retailer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January, the second time in a year. It cited sluggish consumer demand and inventory shortages. At the time it vowed it would keep all of its stores open.

But earlier in February, Joann said it planned to close 500 stores — or more than half of its nationwide footprint. The company said last Sunday that after a recent auction, financial services company GA Group, together with Joann’s term lenders, were selected as the winning bidder to “acquire substantially all of Joann’s assets” and would begin winding down the company’s operations and conduct going-out-of-business sales at all store locations.

Compiled from Bloomberg and Associated Press reports.