The percentage of U.S. small-business owners who believe that “now is a good time to expand” reached a new high in January, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Economic Trends Survey. Thirty-two percent said it’s a good time to expand, the most in the survey’s 45-year history; 20 percent plan to hire. The survey’s Optimism Index jumped 2 points to 106.9 in January. “Main Street is roaring,” said NFIB President and CEO Juanita Duggan. “Small-business owners are not only reporting better profits, but they’re also ready to grow and expand.” As small-business owners struggle to find qualified workers for open positions, reports of higher compensation rose 4 percentage points to a net 31 percent, the highest reading since 2000 and among the highest in the 45 years of NFIB’s survey. State-specific data are unavailable, but Iowa NFIB State Director Matt Everson said the state’s trends are reflected in the national report.