<h1>Small business confidence falls to 79.2 as SMEs recalibrate strategies amid geopolitical risks, trade frictions and legal exposure</h1> An industry association and a global data provider reported a quarterly small business confidence index decline to 79.2, noting strategic recalibration by SMEs amid geopolitical uncertainty and trade frictions. The release highlights sustained domestic macro stability, easing input costs, stabilized selling prices, balanced inventories, and largely stable employment, with increased export orders cited as a diversification response. Legal implications include potential contract renegotiations tied to pricing and supply costs, tariff and trade compliance risks for exporters, workforce and employment law considerations if hiring shifts, and heightened importance of contractual risk allocation and scenario-based compliance planning.