U.S. chief executives’ view of the economy reached a four-year high in the second quarter, with more planning to add jobs over the next six months, according to a Business Roundtable survey. Some 39 percent of corporate chiefs expect to increase their companies’ U.S. head count over the rest of this year, more than the 17 percent who plan to cut it, the survey released Wednesday found.
The group’s index of CEO confidence rose to 94.6 in the second quarter, up from 88.9 three months ago and the highest since the second quarter of 2006, when it stood at 98.6. Any reading above 50 represents a growth forecast.
Seventy-nine percent of U.S. CEOs expect their companies’ sales to rise over the next six months, compared with 4 percent who forecast declines.
Forty-three percent plan to boost their U.S. capital spending — far more than the 7 percent who plan to cut it, but less than the 47 percent who forecast a boost to equipment budgets in March.
Business Roundtable member companies, who were surveyed between May 24 and June 14, employ some 12 million people and generate almost $6 trillion in collective annual revenue.
