The following findings from PricewaterhouseCoopers’Manufacturing Barometer, a quarterly survey, are based on interviews conducted between August 1, 2007, and October 12, 2007, with 60 senior executives of large, multinational U.S. industrial manufacturing companies.

Optimism Falls Sharply Among Industrial Manufacturing Executives
Optimism in the U.S. economy dropped significantly among industrial manufacturers during the third quarter of this year according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’Manufacturing Barometer. Less than half of those surveyed, 45%, are optimistic about the domestic economy, a 17-point drop from the 62% level of optimism reported last quarter.

Higher Energy Costs, Lack of Demand Lead Concerns
Consistent with …