This 'n' Data

THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE is small businesses owners’ biggest concern, says a new report from the National Federation of Independent Business. A majority of businesses (52.3 percent) reported that the cost of health insurance was a critical problem, followed by uncertainty over economic conditions at 38.3 percent. According to the organization, health care is historically the No. 1 problem for small employers.

The third- and fourth-ranking problems are the cost of fuels like natural gas, propane, gasoline, diesel and fuel oil, and uncertainty over government actions.

As a category, taxes took the top position as the most severe problem cluster in the 2012 survey, followed by regulations. Five of the top 10 most severe problems were tax-related, including tax complexity, frequent changes to tax rules and regulations, and federal and state taxes on business income.

SOCIAL NETWORK GOOGLE+ is gaining ground, and has launched a new way for users with common interests (like gardening) to connect. Google+ Communities allow users to plan events, form public and private groups, and discuss their favorite hobbies and interests. The interactive interface also lets businesses connect with customers and execute targeted marketing.

SMALL BUSINESS owners are keeping a close eye on their capital investments in the coming year, according to a Wells Fargo/Gallup quarterly survey. A sample of more than 600 small business owners showed that 34 percent expect to decrease their capital spending, while 20 percent said they would increase it over the next year. That 20 percent is down from July, when 23 percent of those surveyed said they planned to increase spending. This is the lowest it has been since July 2010.

Those numbers reflect the reality of capital spending over the last year, which is about the same as it was in October 2011.