With Global Outlook Weak, Many US Companies Tighten Belts

Everyone and everybody are tightening budgets, except governments.

U.S. companies are far from optimistic that next year will see them get a break from the tough economic and market conditions they have faced in 2015. And that may well hurt capital investment and jobs growth.
In the first three weeks of October, 165 American companies have cited the slowing global economy in their outlooks for earnings and revenue. That is up from 108 in the same period last year, and 97 in the year-earlier quarter, according to an analysis of earnings reports by Thomson Reuters.
Among the phrases that have appeared in many of those statements are "challenging macroeconomic environment," or "global headwinds."
Earnings and revenue have been depressed this year largely because of the strong dollar, economic weakness in China and Brazil, and tumbling oil and commodities prices.  Read more