CFIB's August small-business barometer slipped to 57.6 from 58.6 but stayed above the 50 expansion threshold. The survey was conducted before senior US and Canadian officials said a reported trade pact offering tariff relief for Canadian firms was imminent. Respondents plan to raise prices 2.7% this year, unchanged from last month and below April’s 3.2% peak. For the first time since March, more firms cited wages rather than energy as their main input-cost driver.