Latest indicators
| Indicator | Latest reading | Interpretive limit |
|---|---|---|
| Census business applications | 578,926 in July 2026; +8.1% monthly | Retail accounted for more than the net gain; applications are not openings. |
| BLS private-sector job flows | 7.838M gross gains and 7.245M gross losses in Q4 2025 | Establishment flows, not a small-business employment stock. |
| Federal Reserve employer-firm outlook | Revenue-expectations index fell from 39 to 33 in the 2025 survey | Weighted convenience sample of 6,525 firms, not a random census. |
These releases measure different populations and periods. They belong beside one another as context, not combined into a single “business confidence” score.
Explore the geographic side of the formation data in the 50-state comparison, or use the small-business employment reference to distinguish a workforce stock from BLS establishment flows.