The National Association for Business Economics' April survey of corporate economists predicts the economy will expand over the next year, although the pace of growth will decline. According to the survey, employers are facing pressure to raise wages, spend more on worker training and automate tasks because of the low unemployment rate.

All survey respondents expect the U.S. economy, as measured by the change in inflation-adjusted gross domestic product (real GDP), to increase over the next four quarters. Of the panelists surveyed 53% expect real GDP to rise by more than 2%, compared to 67% of respondents in the January survey.

The Net Rising Index for sales—the percentage of panelists reporting rising sales minus the percentage reporting falling sales—is 37, a significant gain from the reading of 29 in January. The change was about equally driven by an increase in the number of respondents reporting rising sales and a decline in the number reporting falling sales.