CHICAGOAccording to Grant Thornton's ninth biannual Survey of U.S. Business Leaders, 74% of manufacturing and wholesale respondents are optimistic about the improvement of the U.S. economy in the coming year. While nearly two thirds of those 100 manufacturing executives surveyed remain confident in the economy, the numbers are down from the January 2004 survey, where 82% of manufacturing respondents say the economy would improve.
Manufacturing business leaders remain even more optimistic about growth within their own companies, according to the survey. Of the manufacturing leaders surveyed, 92% are extremely optimistic about the growth of their own companies.