Job Market, Economy Continue to Improve

Things are (slowly) looking up. According to a new survey of American economists released by the National Association for Business Economics on Monday, economic conditions improved in the third quarter to the highest level since the start of the recession.

Additionally, expectations for employment during the next 6 months rose to the highest level since 2006.

“[The survey] confirms that the U.S. recovery from the Great Recession continues, with business conditions improving,” William Strauss, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, said in a press release.

Industry demand, profits, costs, employment and capital spending strengthened compared to the association’s July report. In the new report, 59% of NABE panelists saw an increase in demand at their firms and 39% of panelists, the highest proportion thus far in the economic recovery, reported an uptick in profits, with profit margins increasing for a fifth consecutive quarter.

The survey also showed that the portion of respondents reporting a decline in employment fell to 12%, down significantly from the 31% reporting declines in October 2009. According to the survey, the majority of firms that have shed workers or plan to cut staff has fallen substantially during the past year and job creation trends are holding steady at healthy levels.

“Outside of skilled labor, no significant amount of shortages was reported,” Strauss said. “An improved outlook for hiring over the next six months was reported, with the best reading this year.”

Currently, the national unemployment rate is 9.6%, where it has hovered for three months in a row.