Following a partly optimistic forecast for the U.S. economy during the summer, the outlook among CPA decision-makers again clouded in the latest quarterly survey released Thursday, Dec. 7, by AICPA & CIMA.
Forty-three percent of respondents expressed pessimism about the U.S. economy in the latest Business and Industry Economic Outlook Survey, up from 34% the previous quarter. The levels of pessimism didn't rise back to second-quarter levels (56%).
The survey polled 316 CPA decision-makers — primarily CFOs, CEOs and controllers — throughout November. Sixteen percent of those with too few employees are hesitating to hire, up two percentage points from the previous quarter.
Optimism about the U.S. economy slipped, down from 29% the previous quarter to 24%. Still, the new numbers didn't threaten the historic low of 12% a year ago, the lowest quarter since 2009. See more findings.