Leeds Business Confidence Index has pessimistic outlook for fourth quarter

BOULDER — Business leaders in Colorado expressed pessimism about the state’s economic outlook ahead of the fourth quarter of 2022. 

That was the message from the quarterly Leeds Business Confidence Index presented Thursday by the Business Research Division at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business. The fourth-quarter confidence index — which is based on the state economy, national economy, industry sales, industry profits, industry hiring and capital expenditures — was just 39.8, which represents the fourth-lowest figure in its 20-year history.

A score of 50 is neutral. The survey includes responses from 163 Colorado business leaders.

Expectations around the national…