Firms remain optimistic on economy, study reveals

ONE of the country’s leading economists said forecasts of a slump in growth in 2008 were pessimistic based on the findings of a new business survey.

Austin Hughes, chief economist at IIB Bank, said the strong positive outlook on jobs and growth gleaned by the survey was encouraging.

“There is a clear message here — it needn’t be the end. There is still a bright future” for the economy beyond 2007, he said.