"Their confidence wasn't shaken by continuing public-policy debates, " says Richard Curtin, an economist at the University of Michigan, who analyzed the results.

WSJ: Small Firms Plan for Stronger Economy

Speaking on the BBC's World Business Report, Richard Curtin, director of the University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers, said he doubted they would provide an instant cure.

BBC: Bush pushes for more tax cuts

Richard Curtin, an economist at the University of Michigan who analyzed the survey results, said many small firms have come to expect the economy to grow at an uneven pace.

WSJ: Small Firms Stay on Course as Outlook Dims