Small business owners remain wary about the economy heading into 2014, according to the latest poll by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

“As 2013 comes to an end, small business owners are no more optimistic about the future of the economy than they were at the beginning of the year,” the NFIB’s long-standing chief economist and one of the nation’s leading experts on small business said on his Web series, “Your Bottom Line with Bill Dunkelberg.”

The NFIB’s Small Business Optimism Index rose to 92 in November, Dunkelberg said, but the gain was only three points higher than in January and was still a “weak reading” compared to the average index of 100 from 1973 to 2007.

“Since the recovery started in July 2009, the index has wobbled between 88 and 95, never being able to break out of that range,” Dunkelberg said.

NFIB owners have identified their top eight business concerns:

• Rising health care costs
• Uncertainty about the economy
• Uncertainty about economic policy
• Energy costs
• Costs of regulations
• Red tape
• Tax code: Claim on capital
• Tax code: Complexity and changes

“Fundamentally, nothing has occurred improving on the top concerns that owners have,” Dunkelberg said. “Consequently, there’s nothing to be very optimistic about, even if there were a few minor improvements.”

Dunkelberg acknowledged that the recent congressional budget deal in Washington could ease some of the uncertainty that troubles business owners. However, the prevailing political atmosphere is a big reason why some business owners are hesitant to expand.

“In the closing days of 2013, we may see Congress can agree on something,” Dunkelberg said. “But that likely is to be of small magnitude.”