CEOs downgraded their optimism about the U.S. economy, saying they expect to slow both hiring and capital investments in the second half of the year, according to the Business Roundtable’s third-quarter survey released Tuesday.
The survey of 135 CEOs found that just 34 percent expect to add to their company’s payroll in the next six months, down from 43 percent in the second-quarter poll. The share expecting to decrease employment rose to 20 percent from 14 percent in the prior survey. Meanwhile, 39 percent expect to increase capital spending in the next six months, down from 44 percent in the prior survey.
The Roundtable index, based on sales, hiring and investment projections, fell to 86.4 in the third quarter from 95.4 the prior quarter.
