The latest economic forecast from the Washington, D.C.-based Business Roundtable, an association of CEOs of major corporations, sees a slowing in U.S. growth for the next six months. Their outlook is consistent with the expectations of most business economists.
Significantly, just 39% of the 109 CEOs surveyed expect their companies' capital spending to increase in the next six months, and only 32% expect their companies to add employees. Fifty percent expect no change in their capital spending, and 39% expect no change in employment. Eleven percent expect capital spending to decrease during the next six months, and 29% expect to trim payrolls.
Significant, too, is what CEOs say about the impact of higher energy prices. About 21% of their companies have been able to pass along the costs to customers, and another 33% have been able to pass along some of the costs. Twenty-three percent have absorbed almost all of higher energy costs. Another 23% reported no material impact on their business from higher energy costs.
