US Business Conditions “Good”
US Business Conditions “Good” stood at 18.5% in Sep 2026. It is one of the indicators in the Consumer confidence (Conference Board) table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Dec 2009 to Sep 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Consumer confidence (Conference Board) table
| Indicator | 09-2026 | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Present situation assessment (% of respondents) | |||||||||||
| Present Business Conditions: "Good" | 18.5 | 18.8 | 19.1 | 20.2 | 19.2 | 22.3 | 21.7 | 20.4 | 19.6 | 19.8 | |
| Present Business Conditions: "Bad" | 20.4 | 17.3 | 17.9 | 16.5 | 16.7 | 18.1 | 15.8 | 19 | 17.3 | 17.6 |
Understanding US Business Conditions “Good”
This rate measures the share of survey participants who select current business conditions as "good". The denominator consists of respondents who answered the relevant question, making this the proportion of positive opinions rather than the share of profitable businesses or the rate of operational expansion. Unlike the "bad" assessment indicator, it tracks only the positive extreme, with the remainder potentially falling into neutral classifications. It is also narrower than the present situation index because it excludes perceptions of employment.
The Monthly series should be read alongside the "bad" assessment rate: a decline in the "good" share does not necessarily mean the "bad" share increases correspondingly if many respondents shift to neutral. Month-on-month comparisons help identify recent reactions, while year-on-year comparisons reduce the influence of holiday seasons, weather, and seasonal business cycles. The results reflect household perception of the business environment, which may diverge from actual production or profit data. Small fluctuations can also stem from the survey sample, making extended trends more reliable than a single data point.
Frequently asked questions
- Do the shares of good and bad assessments sum to the total?
- Not necessarily, as respondents may also choose a neutral option.
- Does this indicator measure corporate financial health?
- No. It measures consumer perception of general business conditions.
- Is it contradictory for the share to rise while the present situation index falls?
- No, because the component index is also affected by labor market assessments and other response choices.