NEW YORK — The percentage of chief executives planning to ramp up hiring is at the highest level since mid- 2007, according to a survey that suggests big U.S. companies are growing more confident about the recovery.
The Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs of big U.S. companies, said Wednesday its survey shows 39 percent expect to boost payrolls in the second half of 2010. Only 17 percent say jobs will drop, while 43 percent expect no change in their current workforce.
The proportion of those planning to hire is at the highest level since the second quarter of 2007, when it was at 42 percent.
During the recession that began in December 2007, companies slashed their payrolls to cut costs as revenue tumbled. About 8 million jobs were lost. The unemployment rate peaked at 10.1 percent in October and was 9.7 percent in May. The Associated Press
