Updated May 2026 · Bureau of Economic Analysis
What Is Business Fixed Investment (Quarterly Change)?
Business Fixed Investment (Quarterly Change) is currently at 6.4%, up +4.9% from the previous reading of 1.5%. The series is published by Bureau of Economic Analysis on a quarterly schedule, last updated 2026-01-01.
Current Reading
How to Read This Reading
6.4% sits in the upper portion of the recent historical range for Business Investment. Treat the reading as elevated rather than typical — sustained levels at this height usually have meaningful policy or business-cycle implications.
Business Investment has moved higher from 1.5% to 6.4% since the prior quarterly release — a sharp move of +4.9%. Pair this with the related indicators below before drawing strong conclusions; isolated moves on a single release often look larger than they really are.
Growth indicators describe how fast U.S. economic output is expanding (or contracting). They sit at the top of most macro frameworks because almost everything else — corporate earnings, employment, tax revenue — moves with output. The Bureau of Economic Analysis publishes the headline GDP releases; the Federal Reserve’s FRED database archives the historical series.
What Business Investment Measures
Business fixed investment measures spending by businesses on structures (factories, offices), equipment, and intellectual property products (software, R&D). It reflects corporate confidence in future demand and is a key component of GDP.
Business investment grew at 3.8% annualized — positive but decelerating from 4.7% last quarter. AI-related capital expenditure (data centers, chips, software) is a bright spot, while traditional equipment investment is more muted. For executives, sustained investment growth signals corporate confidence, but the deceleration suggests some companies are becoming more cautious amid tariff uncertainty and tight financial conditions.
Methodology
The BEA measures business fixed investment as part of the GDP accounts. It includes: nonresidential structures (commercial buildings, factories), equipment (machinery, vehicles, computers), and intellectual property products (software, R&D, entertainment originals). It excludes residential investment and inventory changes.
ExecBolt does not estimate, model, or interpolate this value — every reading on this page is pulled directly from Bureau of Economic Analysis (series A007RL1Q225SBEA). For full sourcing standards and citation guidance, see the methodology page; for plain-language background on the underlying concept, see the learn library; for live cross-checks against related series, see the indicators dashboard.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Business Fixed Investment (Quarterly Change) |
| Source | Bureau of Economic Analysis |
| Series ID | A007RL1Q225SBEA |
| Frequency | Quarterly |
| Category | growth |
| Last updated | 2026-01-01 |
| Next release | 2026-06-26 |
Related Indicators
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Business Fixed Investment (Quarterly Change) right now?
Business Fixed Investment (Quarterly Change) is currently at 6.4%, up +4.9% from the previous reading of 1.5%. The series is published by Bureau of Economic Analysis on a quarterly schedule, last updated 2026-01-01.
How is Business Investment calculated?
The BEA measures business fixed investment as part of the GDP accounts. It includes: nonresidential structures (commercial buildings, factories), equipment (machinery, vehicles, computers), and intellectual property products (software, R&D, entertainment originals). It excludes residential investment and inventory changes.
What does Business Investment mean for business?
Business investment grew at 3.8% annualized — positive but decelerating from 4.7% last quarter. AI-related capital expenditure (data centers, chips, software) is a bright spot, while traditional equipment investment is more muted. For executives, sustained investment growth signals corporate confidence, but the deceleration suggests some companies are becoming more cautious amid tariff uncertainty and tight financial conditions.
How often is Business Investment updated?
Business Investment is published on a quarterly schedule by Bureau of Economic Analysis. The most recent reading is dated 2026-01-01; the next scheduled release is 2026-06-26.
Where can I verify this number?
The primary source for Business Fixed Investment (Quarterly Change) is Bureau of Economic Analysis at https://www.bea.gov/data/gdp/gross-domestic-product (series A007RL1Q225SBEA). The historical series is also archived at U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and available via API for programmatic verification.