Metro Milwaukee businesses are optimistic about the second quarter, according to the results of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce business outlook survey.
Of the businesses surveyed, 75 percent expect sales increases, 62 expect profit gains and 55 percent expect to add employees, in the second quarter.
Only 7 percent of businesses expect sales declines during the second quarter and only 6 percent expect to reduce employment during the quarter.
Profit expectations are up from the 58 percent who forecast first quarter profit gains. The current level of profit optimism is the highest reached in seven quarters.
“Milwaukee area businesses see positive outcomes in business activity in 2017’s second quarter, with a growing percentage of those surveyed expecting raising sales and profit levels,” said Bret Mayborne, the MMAC’s economic research director. “Further, despite the current lackluster job trend, a healthy majority of businesses surveyed expect year-over-year job growth in the second quarter.”
The business outlook survey conducted by the MMAC contains responses from 109 Milwaukee area firms, both large and small, employing more than 43,600 people.
Businesses surveyed expect their employee wages and salaries to increase 2.9 percent over the next 12 months.
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