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Economic Data Brief |
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Business activity
NFIB Small Business Optimism Index — August 2026
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| Small Business Optimism Index fell 1.1% in August 2026 to 98.7, −2.1% from a year ago. Prior month: 99.8. | |
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Optimism
98.7
▼ −1.1% m/m
· −2.1% y/y
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Uncertainty Index
89.0
▼ −2.2% m/m
· −4.3% y/y
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Revision check| Revision check clear. Prior periods were checked against the values in the last report — no revisions found. All changes below are computed on current-vintage data. |
Key figures| Headline → | August 2026 | July 2026 | M/M chg | M/M % | Y/Y chg | Y/Y % | 12-period trend |
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| Small Business Optimism Index 1986=100; the 51-year average is 98 | 98.7 | 99.8 | ▼ −1.1 | ▼ −1.1% | ▼ −2.1 | ▼ −2.1% | | | Uncertainty Index | 89.0 | 91.0 | ▼ −2.0 | ▼ −2.2% | ▼ −4.0 | ▼ −4.3% | | | Trend bars show the level over the last 13 periods; the latest period is highlighted. |
Full detailShow every category and subcategory| Full detail — components → | August 2026 | July 2026 | M/M chg | M/M % | Y/Y chg | Y/Y % |
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| Plans to increase employment net percent | 17.0% | 20.0% | ▼ −3.0 pp | — | ▪ — | — | | Job openings hard to fill | 35.0% | 36.0% | ▼ −1.0 pp | — | ▪ — | — | | Plans to make capital outlays | 24.0% | 25.0% | ▼ −1.0 pp | — | ▪ — | — | | Raising average selling prices net percent | 31.0% | 31.0% | ▪ 0.0 pp | — | ▪ — | — | | Raising compensation | 31.0% | 31.0% | ▪ 0.0 pp | — | ▪ — | — | | Actual earnings changes net percent | −19.0% | −16.0% | ▼ −3.0 pp | — | ▪ — | — | | Inflation as single most important problem | 16.0% | 14.0% | ▲ +2.0 pp | — | ▲ +5.0 pp | — |
Sources |
Economic Impact Group, LLC
Economic research for developing communities
Prepared 2026-09-08 14:04 UTC. Green marks an
increase, red a decrease — direction only, not good or bad.
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