REGIONAL ECONOMY

Owners are hiring:

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
Tuesday, October 19, 2004

Washington state executives are more confident about the economy these days, with 55 percent of surveyed business owners planning to hire more workers in the next six months, a 23-point jump from a year ago, according to a new report. Local owners seem to be feeling better about the economic climate, rating it, on average, 7.4 of a possible 10, compared with 5.4 a year ago, according to The Rainier Group. Washington business owners also hope to make more money, with 81 percent projecting higher revenue in the coming months.