The July Confidence Meter numbers dipped again, if only slightly, as our 727 survey respondents continue to wait for clearer signs that a real recovery is in progress. Confidence in the chance for a recovery in the overall economy in the next three months ticked down a tenth of a percentage point, to 6.2 on a scale of 1 to 10, as did the scores for their industry categories and their own companies, landing at 6.0 and 6.5, respectively. Respondents at telecom companies and food/beverage organizations were the least confident about the prospects for a recovery in their own industries. The most confident: pharmaceuticals and engineering/construction/architecture.
