Survey: Mass. employers remain wary on economy

BOSTON (AP) - A monthly survey of Massachusetts employers shows a slight increase in confidence but not enough to stimulate job creation or bring down the state's unemployment rate.

That's according to Associated Industries of Massachusetts, which said Tuesday that its business confidence index rose nearly three points in September and now stands at 51.5. A reading above 50 indicates that employers are slightly more optimistic than pessimistic about the economy.

The survey was taken prior to the partial shutdown of the federal government, but economist Raymond Torto says there continues to be a "consistently negative assessment" of national economic conditions among Massachusetts businesses.

Torto says there has been little overall change in the index over the past 12 months.

The state's unemployment rate currently stands at 7.2 percent.

Cox Media Group