Small business owners’ confidence has fallen on doubts about credit availability, according to the quarterly Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index. The index dropped to 100 in July, down 13 points from April.

“Economic fundamentals remain solid, but the chill of tighter credit is curbing small business owner optimism at a time when the vibrancy of consumer demand is in doubt,” said Scott Anderson, senior economist at Wells Fargo & Co., in a press release. “Small businesses depend on strong consumer demand for their sales. Declining home prices, high consumer debt levels and rising food and energy prices have reduced the consumers’ willingness and ability to spend in other areas.”

According to the survey, small business owners’ view of the operating environment and financial conditions fell to a rating of 41, down eight points from April. The percentage of small business owners who believe obtaining credit is somewhat or very easy fell five points to 48 percent. Future expectations fell to a rating of 59, down five points from April and the lowest level since June 2005. The percentage of those surveyed who expect the number of jobs at their company to increase over the next year, fell seven points to 22 percent.

Still, 94 percent said they feel successful being a small business owner, and more than three-fourths said they would do it again if given the chance.

The index tracks six key measures for current and future expectations: financial situation, cash flow, revenues, capital allocation, job hiring and credit availability. Results are based on telephone interviews with 603 small business owners nationwide conducted July 12-23.