In the eyes of the average small business, the U.S. economy is still in a recession and likely to stay that way through 2012. While revenues are in line with or higher than they were last year for many on Main Street, the outlook for hiring and business in general is bleak, according to a broad-reaching survey to be released Thursday. Small-business owners say a continued lack of financing, coupled with rising commodity prices and weak overall sales, is to blame.

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