The U.S. Census Bureau has released new data from the Business Trends and Outlook Survey (BTOS), which provides ongoing measurement of business conditions and forecasts. The survey now includes information for businesses with multiple locations. According to the Census Bureau, BTOS will continue to collect data that complements other economic surveys, covering key metrics such as revenue, employment, hours worked, and inventory.
BTOS covers all employer businesses in the United States except farms. It offers regular and timely updates on important economic indicators every two weeks. The continuous nature of the survey allows for detailed geographic and industry breakdowns, enabling it to capture the effects of events like natural disasters or economic crises and track recovery efforts.
The sample for BTOS includes about 1.2 million businesses that are divided into six panels, each with roughly 200,000 cases. These panels report once every 12 weeks over a year-long period. On average, respondents spend about nine minutes completing the survey.
Data from BTOS is published biweekly and can be accessed by sector, state, and for the 25 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country. The results provide local, state, and federal officials with real-time data necessary for policy decisions. Businesses also use this information to inform their own economic choices.
There was no separate news release issued with this announcement; only a tip sheet was provided.
