Richard Curtin Recorded Quotations

Prospects for the economy have improved substantially from the lows recorded following the Gulf Coast hurricanes and the surge in gas prices. Firms still expect a slower overall pace of economic growth during 2006 than in 2005. The expected growth slowdown is mainly due to anticipated increases in interest rates. Firms are much more optimistic about their own prospects in 2006, as they expected strong growth in revenues and profits.

Declines in gas prices were responsible for the substantial gain, which nearly restored confidence to the levels recorded prior to the spike in gas prices last August.