According to a recent survey released by J.P. Morgan Chase on Wednesday, only 39% of US midsize business managers said they are optimistic about the overall US economy in 2026. This ratio is down sharply from last year — when the index of business confidence in the US economy was at a five-year high, with optimism accounting for 65%. Melissa Smith, head of the commercial banking division at J.P. Morgan Chase, defined this expectation as “cautiously optimistic.”

According to a recent survey released by J.P. Morgan Chase on Wednesday, only 39% of US midsize business managers said they are optimistic about the overall US economy in 2026. This ratio is down sharply from last year — when the index of business confidence in the US economy was at a five-year high, with optimism accounting for 65%. Melissa Smith, head of the commercial banking division at J.P. Morgan Chase, defined this expectation as “cautiously optimistic.”