08:05 AM EDT, 10/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Weak consumer demand continues to haunt over half (52%) of small businesses in the country, finds the Monthly Business Barometer by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

This indicator has been higher than its historical average for the past 24 consecutive months, noted CFIB on Thursday.

Key findings from this month's survey are:

-- Long-term small business confidence dropped 3.9 points to 46.3 in October.

-- Inflation indicators are steady, with average price plans sitting unchanged at 2.7% for four consecutive months.

-- Wage plans sat at 2.2% in October.

-- The labor market is slowing down even further, with 19% of small firms looking to lay off staff in the next few months.

"Hiring remains weak, while layoffs stay above average," said Laure-Anna Bomal, CFIB's economist. "The softness that we've seen in the labour market since mid-2024 continues, and there are no signs of short-term improvement."