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61/100
BUSINESSINDY U.S. ECONOMIC INDEX

The economy is expanding — but under pressure

Jobs and leading indicators are providing support. Slower growth, flat real consumer spending and above-target inflation keep the picture firmly in the yellow zone.

Snapshot updated Sept. 17, 2026 · Live financial readings update when this page opens
HealthyWatchPressureMixed
GrowthGrowing, but slower
GDP +1.5% · GDI +2.2%

Q2 annual rates. Output grew, but GDP slowed from Q1.

BEA · Aug. 26 ↗
EmploymentHolding up
4.1% unemployment

Payrolls rose 162,000 in August, after a much softer 12-month trend.

BLS · Sept. 4 ↗
ConsumerLosing momentum
Real spending 0.0%

Inflation-adjusted consumer spending was essentially flat in July.

BEA · Aug. 26 ↗
InflationStill too hot
Core PCE +3.3%

The Fed’s preferred underlying gauge remains above its 2% target.

BEA · July data ↗
Financial conditionsMixed
Live market check

Rates and stocks can change quickly; use the live cards below for the latest move.

Live market quotes ↗
How the 61 score is built

The BusinessIndy index is an editorial synthesis, not a government statistic: 50% measures where the economy is now, 30% measures direction, and 20% reflects inflation and financial pressure. Green signals strength, yellow calls for attention, red shows a meaningful drag, and blue marks mixed market evidence. Source releases arrive on different schedules and can be revised.

FREE BUSINESS IMPACT CHECK · NO LOGIN

What does this mean for my business?

See how rising costs could change your profit—and what it would take to recover it.

Your business, your assumptions

Example scenario—not your business data. Edit the numbers to see results instantly.

Calculations run in your browser. This calculator does not save or submit your entries.

YOUR COST-PRESSURE SCENARIO

$1,200less operating profit each month

At unchanged sales, a 3% expense increase adds $14,400 in costs over 12 identical months.

Before cost increase$10,000monthly operating profit
After cost increase$8,800monthly operating profit

That uses up 12.0% of your current operating profit.

Two alternative ways to offset the added cost

$3,000extra monthly sales at your 40% contribution margin
2.40%average price increase at unchanged volume and costs

These are separate scenarios, not amounts to add together. Customer demand and delivery capacity can change the result.

Three actions for trades & home services

BusinessIndy planning prompts based on your scenario and industry—not a forecast or an assessment of your books.

  1. 01 · PRICING

    Reprice your next five quotes

    Compare supplier prices, travel time and actual job hours before quoting your next plumbing, HVAC or construction job.

    Why: $1,200 in added monthly costs is the amount your pricing or savings would need to offset.
  2. 02 · CAPACITY

    Check billable capacity first

    Review callbacks and unbilled travel before adding more jobs or hiring. Review this with whoever schedules your 1–10-person team.

    Why: The extra-sales route requires $3,000 a month; new staffing or equipment could lower the margin you entered.
  3. 03 · CASH

    Review deposits and collections

    Compare material payments with customer deposits and invoice dates before committing to a larger job.

    Why: profit is not cash in the bank; bills may come due before customers pay.
Assumptions and calculation method

Added monthly cost = operating expenses × expense increase. Starting operating profit = revenue − expenses. Scenario profit = starting profit − added cost. Extra sales = added cost ÷ contribution margin as a decimal. Price increase = added cost ÷ current revenue × 100. The target is to preserve operating profit dollars, not profit percentage.

Use a contribution margin that reflects higher variable costs. The sales scenario assumes sufficient capacity and no new fixed expenses. The price scenario assumes unchanged sales volume, sales mix and total costs; percentage-based fees may reduce the benefit. Taxes, financing, seasonality and customer responses are not modeled. Values are rounded for display.

SBA: break-even and contribution-margin concepts ↗

Markets & fuel prices

Major indexes, Treasury yields, commodities and the cost of filling up in Indiana and across the United States.

Checked every 15 minutes while this page is open. Quotes may be delayed; timestamps show the last reported trade, including the last session when markets are closed. Futures prices are not retail fuel or physical gold or silver prices.

National gasoline & diesel

AAA daily US averages · US dollars per gallon · regular unleaded gasoline.

National gasoline

Regular unleaded · per gallonLoading…

National diesel

Diesel · per gallonLoading…
Source: AAA national fuel averages ↗

Local gasoline & diesel

AAA daily averages · US dollars per gallon · regular unleaded gasoline. These are regional averages, not individual station prices.

Loading dated fuel averages…

Source: AAA Indiana fuel prices and metro averages ↗
MARKET INTELLIGENCE · STATEWIDE INDIANA

Indiana business market

Selective growth. Disciplined expansion.

Indiana offers substantial opportunities, but demand varies sharply by sector and customer. This edition brings together state labor data, regional business feedback and company announcements to guide operating decisions.

Research edition · · BusinessIndy analysis

Current market

Reported data

Low unemployment does not mean broad acceleration

Indiana’s July unemployment rate was 3.3%. Private employment totaled 2,843,900, down 4,900 from June. Construction and private education/health services added jobs. Read these measures together: a low unemployment rate can coexist with slowing payroll growth.

Indiana DWD · July employment report ↗BLS · State unemployment table ↗

Major players

Representative anchors across sectors, not a revenue ranking or an exhaustive list. Company sources establish their activities; they do not independently establish market share.

Selected companies and their relevance
CompanyMarketWhy watch
Eli Lilly and CompanyNYSE: LLY · Loading…Human medicines and manufacturingLebanon investment and pharmaceutical supply chainsLilly · Indiana expansion announcement ↗
CumminsNYSE: CMI · Loading…Engines and power systemsIndustrial equipment, monitoring and aftermarket needsCummins · Mining developments ↗
Allison TransmissionNYSE: ALSN · Loading…Vehicle propulsion and off-highway systemsManufacturing and mobility supply chainsAllison · Quarterly results ↗
Zimmer BiometNYSE: ZBH · Loading…Medical technologyOrthopedics and medical-device operationsZimmer Biomet · Quarterly results ↗
Elanco Animal HealthNYSE: ELAN · Loading…Animal healthLivestock and companion-animal productsElanco · Quarterly results ↗
Indiana University HealthNot publicly tradedHealthcare deliveryClinical infrastructure and specialized careIU Health · Cancer care program ↗
Simon Property GroupNYSE: SPG · Loading…Retail real estateRetail destinations, leasing and tenant demandSimon · Quarterly performance ↗
Duke Energy IndianaNYSE: DUK · Loading…Parent company: Duke EnergyElectric utilityPower supply and local utility requirementsDuke Energy · Indiana operations ↗

Stock quotes from Yahoo Finance may be delayed. Checked every 15 minutes while this page is open; closed markets show the last reported trade.

Recent developments

Company announcement

July 28 · Cummins outlines mining upgrades

The manufacturer announced developments in engines, remote monitoring and hybrid-electric haulage. The release confirms the product program; orders and realized customer savings require separate evidence.

Cummins · Mining developments ↗
Provider announcement

August 19 · IU Health announces precision oncology expansion

IU Health announced a theranostics program combining imaging and targeted treatment. This identifies a healthcare capability investment, not verified supplier purchasing volume.

IU Health · Cancer care program ↗

Opportunities

Risks

Pricing and business models

Indiana has many distinct markets, so there is no meaningful single statewide price. Official benchmarks below are separated from suggested commercial models.

Benchmarks and models to evaluate
AreaBenchmark or modelHow to use it
Electricity benchmarkJune 2026: commercial 14.15¢/kWh; industrial 9.00¢/kWh. Commercial was 13.67¢ a year earlier.EIA · Electricity prices ↗EIA averages are revenue per kWh, not site-specific tariffs. Obtain a full bill estimate including applicable demand charges.
BorrowingNational July survey: business-loan standards broadly unchanged during Q2; conditions differ by loan type.Federal Reserve · Lending survey ↗Compare written offers including fees, covenants, collateral and repayment terms. Do not use one statewide loan rate.
Industrial and project servicesModel to evaluate: a scoped project fee followed by maintenance or support revenue.Set milestones, change-order rules and acceptance criteria; measure customer downtime or throughput gains.
Professional services and softwareModel to evaluate: paid pilot, then subscription or retainer with clearly defined scope.Test three offer levels and track retention, delivery cost and customer acquisition payback. These are proposed models, not measured Indiana market prices.
Retail and hospitalityModel to evaluate: transparent entry offer with optional premium services.Federal Reserve · National summary ↗Test contribution margin and repeat purchases, rather than pursuing volume through indiscriminate discounts.

What customers are saying

Reported customer signals

Regional reports show trading down

Chicago district contacts described shoppers moving toward lower-cost options, while restaurant traffic softened. These are business contacts’ reports about customers, not a representative Indiana customer poll.

Federal Reserve · Chicago district ↗
Cross-check

National evidence supports the value theme, with limits

The national Beige Book also describes price sensitivity alongside resilient high-end spending. That supports segmented offers rather than one blanket discount. Both reports belong to the same Fed publication, so their agreement is not independent survey replication.

Federal Reserve · National summary ↗
Analysis

Validate locally before scaling

This report contains no BusinessIndy customer interviews or fabricated reviews. Interview recent buyers and lost prospects about switching triggers, total price, service failures and purchase approval. Record the sample and dates before drawing statewide conclusions.

Where the market appears to be heading

Evidence and cross-checks

This is a dated research edition, not a live economic feed. Monthly data are preliminary and may be revised. The July unemployment figure matches DWD and BLS, which share an underlying statistical program; that is a consistency check, not independent measurement. Lilly’s commitment is confirmed in company and state accounts of the same announcement. Neither proves completed spending.

Labor data, energy statistics and business surveys provide different evidence for the broader assessment. Company statements remain attributed. Regional and national customer observations are not Indiana-wide polling. Historical industry shares are labeled by period; no older figure is presented as current growth. Opportunities and scenarios are BusinessIndy judgments to test.

Sources and observation periods

10 key findings

Finding

6. Power costs deserve attention

Indiana commercial electricity averaged 14.15¢/kWh in June, up from 13.67¢ a year earlier.

EIA · Electricity prices ↗
Finding

7. Credit is not uniformly tightening

National business-loan standards were broadly unchanged in Q2; construction credit remained historically restrictive.

Federal Reserve · Lending survey ↗

5 opportunities

Analysis

1. Industrial maintenance and automation

Offer a paid equipment or workflow diagnostic, then a bounded improvement project. Proceed only when the buyer can measure the baseline and authorize a budget.

Cummins · Mining developments ↗
Analysis

3. Business energy efficiency

Review billing and operating schedules, then test an efficiency intervention with a before/after measurement plan. Price against verified savings rather than a guaranteed result.

EIA · Electricity prices ↗
Analysis

4. Healthcare operations support

Explore administrative, facility and technical needs tied to care expansion. Validate procurement access, privacy requirements and demand before building a dedicated service.

IU Health · Cancer care program ↗
Analysis

5. Value-focused customer offers

Test a clear entry package with paid upgrades. Use conversion, repeat business and contribution margin to decide whether to expand.

Federal Reserve · National summary ↗

3 major risks

What I should do next

  1. Within 7 days: choose two customer segments and build a list of 20 Indiana prospects from the company directory. Confirm their current operations and purchasing contacts.
  2. Within 14 days: conduct 10 buyer interviews across those segments. Document budget, urgency, competitors and objections; do not describe this small sample as representative of Indiana.
  3. Within 30 days: offer two paid pilots with a baseline, success measure and clear stop/go decision. Avoid major hiring or equipment commitments before validating demand.
  4. Review monthly: track qualified leads, signed orders, gross margin, payment times and renewals alongside fresh state data. Expand only where customer evidence supports it.
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