Small business owners’ optimism about the future has increased for the first time since 2007, according to the Wells Fargo & Co./Gallup Small Business index.

According to the poll, small business owners’ optimism for the next 12 months increased nine points to a rating of 10, while their attitudes about the present situation dropped 6 points for a rating of -11.

An index score of zero indicates that small business owners, as a group, are neutral — neither optimistic nor pessimistic — about their companies’ situations. The overall index score reflects six key measures: financial situation, cash flow, revenues, capital spending, job hiring and credit availability.

The previous Small Business index, which was released in March, showed that small business owners’ overall optimism had dropped to its lowest level in the six years to a rating of -4; it now stands at -1. The survey covered business owners’ attitudes between Jan. 22 and Feb. 2, and was the first time the index had dropped below zero.