Supply management · Friday, September 4, 2026
Supply managers say the services economy grew again in August. Hiring did not.
The File desk · Sep. 4, 2026, 8:16 a.m. ET
Confirmed1 primary sources
Status
Confirmed from the Institute for Supply Management services report for August 2026, posted on PR Newswire Sept. 3. This is a private survey, not a government jobs or trade print.
On Sept. 3, 2026, the Institute for Supply Management said its services index rose to 55.4 in August, up 1.3 points from July’s 54.1. That is a 26th consecutive month of expansion. Business activity rose 2.6 points to 61.7. New orders rose 3.7 points to 60.9. Employment was 47.8, a second straight month of contraction, up 0.4 from 47.4. Prices rose 2.3 points to 72.6, which the group said was the highest since August 2022. Chair Steve Miller cited tariffs and the Middle East conflict as the issues supply managers named most. The next services report, covering September, is due Oct. 5, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
PR Newswire, TEMPE, Ariz., Sept. 3, 2026, 10:00 ET, sourced to the Institute for Supply Management: “The Services PMI® registered 55.4 percent, the 26th consecutive month in expansion territory.” The report was issued by Steve Miller, CPSM, CSCP, chair of the group’s Services Business Survey Committee.
Miller, as quoted: “In August, the Services PMI® registered 55.4 percent, an increase of 1.3 percentage points compared to July's figure of 54.1 percent. The Business Activity Index remained in expansion territory in August, increasing 2.6 percentage points to 61.7 percent from July's reading of 59.1 percent. The New Orders Index registered 60.9 percent, 3.7 percentage points above July's figure of 57.2 percent. The Employment Index contracted for a second straight month with a reading of 47.8 percent, a 0.4-percentage point increase from the 47.4 percent recorded in July.”
On prices, the same release: the Prices Index “reading of 72.6 percent in August is 2.3 percentage points above July's figure of 70.3 percent” and “hit its highest level since August 2022 (72.6 percent).” Miller: “Tariffs and the Middle East conflict returned as the most cited issues impacting respondents' supply chains.”
The release says the next services report featuring September 2026 data will be released at 10:00 a.m. Eastern on Monday, October 5, 2026. The Institute for Supply Management is a private survey of supply executives, not a government statistical agency.
How we know
What is still unknown or disputed
- None material for the headline indexes.
Primary sources
Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.
Source 1
Services PMI at 55.4%; August 2026 ISM Services PMI Report
Institute for Supply Management via PR Newswire · September 3, 2026
The Services PMI registered 55.4 percent, an increase of 1.3 percentage points compared to July's figure of 54.1 percent. Business Activity 61.7. New Orders 60.9. Employment 47.8. Prices 72.6. Next report featuring September 2026 data at 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, October 5, 2026.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/services-pmi-at-55-4-august-2026-ism-services-pmi-report-302868046.html