WASHINGTON (AP) – The accelerated rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, along with the Biden administration’s rescue aid policies, have brightened the outlook for the United States economy as it extends its recovery from the pandemic recession. That is the view of a majority of business economists that emerges from a survey being released Monday by the National Association for Business Economics. The results, based on responses from 97 NABE members earlier this month, found that two-thirds say the vaccines and the administration’s policies have increased their optimism. An equally large proportion say the vaccine rollout and a new presidential administration have had a positive effect on their companies’ sales and hiring, up from only 37% who said so in a survey done in January. In addition, 35% of the economists say they think the economy will grow at a robust rate of at least 6% over the next year. Only 4% of the economists had predicted growth that strong in the January survey.
