WASHINGTON -- The National Association of Manufacturers said Tuesday the majority of its member companies are upbeat about their business outlook.
The Washington, D.C., group represents some of the biggest manufacturing companies in the United States, and NAM President John Engler said its latest survey of corporate sentiment "confirms our belief that the economy is gaining strength and will continue to expand throughout this year and next."
Of the 336 companies it surveyed with more than 1,000 employees, 87 percent said they were positive about business prospects in 2005. About 55 percent said they would increase capital spending next year, which is the largest number of companies to say so since the fourth quarter of 1997, NAM said.
The group also found that both large and smaller-sized companies expect to continue employing more people next year.
