US Business Sentiment Falls 8% as Economic Concerns Persist, Principal Financial Finds

• U.S. business sentiment fell 8% from July to 6.02 out of 10 in Principal Financial’s quarterly Well-Being Index.
• The reading matched April 2025’s low, the weakest since the index began in 2021.
• Small and midsize business sentiment hit a record low of 5.28, while large businesses held nearly steady at 7.08.
• Optimism about the economic outlook over the next 12 months fell 10 percentage points from July to 40%.
• Among employers making operational adjustments in 2026, 93% developed or redeployed existing employees; 58% used AI and automation to change work.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Principal Financial Group Inc. published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 20261111031672) on November 11, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.