Poll: Overall Economy Is Biggest Business Threat

LOS ANGELES-“Uncertainty has been a key characteristic of the business environment in the first half of 2012. It has caused businesses to hold back on hiring and has been a major factor causing job growth and the overall economy to slow in the second quarter.” So says Ken McCarthy, senior economist and senior managing director of research at Cushman & Wakefield. McCarthy recently chatted with GlobeSt.com about the subject of recent GlobeSt.com poll, which asked the audience to identify the biggest threat to their businesses.

The majority of the respondents of the poll picked “the overall economy” as their main threat at 46%. Other options included Europe (10%); Jobs (17%); Stalemate Inside the Beltway (10%); What Might Happen After the Election (12%); and “Not a Thing. Happy as a Clam (6%).” Alan Clifton, VP of strategic investments at Passco Cos. LLC, says the average American is very confused by conflicting reports on where the economy is and where it’s going.