October VBR/EPR Survey Results Released (Oct. 2015)

The VBR/EPR Business Conditions Survey for the third quarter of 2015/fourth quarter of 2015 has been released. For the sixth quarter in a row CEOs attitudes about the state’s business climate outlook continue to deteriorate from mildly optimistic to neutral.  More than half of respondents (58 percent) continued to express negative outlooks with regard to the ease of hiring for available positions.  The Information sector expressed the most optimistic outlooks on the general business climate. Compared with their national counterparts Vermont companies demonstrated similar caution with near-term prospects and plans for capital outlays. For this reporting period the results show a continued decline in optimism from Q2 2015 to Q3 2015 indicating that Vermont CEOs are solidly neutral in their attitude about the general business climate for the coming three months.

The Business Conditions Survey is conducted in partnership between the Vermont Business Roundtable and Economic & Policy Resources.  The nine question survey of the 97 members of the Vermont Business Roundtable captures a glimpse of how Vermont business leaders see the state economy.  The survey asks business leaders how  their businesses have fared in the recent past and how they view the future.  Sentiments regarding the current and expected business climate and the expected impact on hiring and investing decisions are also surveyed.   Included in the standard survey is a question asking roundtable members for opinions on a current debate in public policy.   Along with providing a snapshot of the Vermont business climate the survey allows Vermonters to see how these markers change over time.

Watch EPR\'s Amanda Wassel discuss the survey results on Channel 17: https://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/programs/vermont-business-roundtableepr-business-conditions-survey-3rd-quarter-results-2015