# U.S. business survey indexes put revenue at 41.6 and input prices at 73.3

> In BTOS data through 18 October, the Census Bureau marked increases in future performance and demand indexes as statistically significant.

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- Publisher: Newsverum
- Section: Economy
- Country: United States
- Published: 2026-10-25T15:35:21+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-25T15:35:21+00:00
- Event / data period: 2026-10-18
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The U.S. Census Bureau released new data from its Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS) on 22 October. The latest indicators cover responses through 18 October. BTOS collects biweekly information on revenue, employment, hours, demand and prices from U.S. employer businesses outside agriculture, and also asks about the outlook for the next six months.

In the national average, the current performance index was 56.5. The current revenue index was 41.6, employees 47.7, hours 46.2 and input prices 73.3. These are not raw counts of businesses or dollar totals for revenue; they are weighted indexes that summarize responses across categories. Under the Census Bureau methodology, 50 is the balance point where positive and negative responses balance; it does not necessarily mean that most businesses reported no change.

For the next six months, the indexes were 54.8 for performance, 51.7 for demand, 51.4 for employees, 50.1 for hours and 78.6 for input prices. The changes in future performance and demand from the prior collection period were both marked statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Changes in the other indicators did not carry the same significance marker. That distinction means small index movements should not automatically be treated as evidence of a broad business shift.

Index direction depends on what is measured. A revenue or hours index above 50 points to increases being more prevalent among businesses. A high input-price index may instead reflect more businesses reporting rising costs, which is not necessarily favorable for firms. The future input-price index remained elevated at 78.6 while the current index was 73.3; both indicate widespread reports of input-price increases.

BTOS draws on a sample of approximately 1.2 million businesses. Selected businesses are split into six panels of about 200,000 cases, with each panel asked to respond once every 12 weeks over a year. The survey’s design supports frequent releases, but its indexes are measures of business-reported conditions and expectations, not national-accounts totals or company financial statements.

Census also makes BTOS data available by sector, state and the 25 most populous metropolitan areas. The October release notice covers new data products, including business-use questions, while the indicators summarized here are the national indexes for overall performance, revenue, employees, hours, demand and input prices. They describe reported conditions and expectations; they do not forecast what growth or prices will actually be.

## Data

### U.S. business conditions survey indicators

BTOS national-average indexes published by the Census Bureau with data through 18 October 2026.

Methodology: Indexes are weighted indicators built from BTOS responses. A level of 50 is the balance point; higher values indicate more prevalent increases or positive assessments and lower values more prevalent decreases or negative assessments. A higher price index may indicate cost pressure. The source marked changes in future performance and demand as statistically significant at the 95% confidence level.

| label | value | unit | period | basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current performance | 56.5 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Current revenues | 41.6 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Current employees | 47.7 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Current hours | 46.2 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Current input prices | 73.3 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Future performance | 54.8 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Future demand | 51.7 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Future employees | 51.4 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Future hours | 50.1 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |
| Future input prices | 78.6 | index points | 2026-10-18 | estimate |

Sources: <https://www.census.gov/hfp/btos/>, <https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/btos-oct-22.html>, <https://www.census.gov/hfp/btos/downloads/Business%20Trends%20and%20Outlook%20Survey%20Indexes%20Methodology.pdf> · Download data: [JSON](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/us-census-btos-business-condition-indexes-october-18-2026/data/data-us-btos-indicators-2026-10-18?lang=en&format=json) · [CSV](https://newsverum.com/api/v1/articles/us-census-btos-business-condition-indexes-october-18-2026/data/data-us-btos-indicators-2026-10-18?lang=en&format=csv)

## Sources

- [U.S. Census Bureau, Business Trends and Outlook Survey](<https://www.census.gov/hfp/btos/>) (Source checked: 2026-10-25; Published: 2026-10-22)
- [U.S. Census Bureau, BTOS Data Release — October 22, 2026](<https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/btos-oct-22.html>) (Source checked: 2026-10-25; Published: 2026-10-22)
- [U.S. Census Bureau, BTOS Index Methodology](<https://www.census.gov/hfp/btos/downloads/Business%20Trends%20and%20Outlook%20Survey%20Indexes%20Methodology.pdf>) (Source checked: 2026-10-25)

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