The latest Business Roundtable CEO Economic Outlook Index fell by 15 points to 69—well below the index’s historical average of 83. The decline is the result of tepid expectations for the months ahead, most notably on the hiring front. The employment subindex plummeted by almost 19 points, with more than 40% of CEOs expecting to shrink their workforce in the next six months—up from the roughly 30% who said the same last quarter. This comes as the Trump Labor Department reported that the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dipped to 245,000 last week, hovering at historically low levels. U.S. jobless claims ticked down from 250,000 the week before.
