U.S. manufacturers are still confident about economic...

U.S. manufacturers are still confident about economic prospects for next year despite the crash on Wall Street, said Jerry Jasinowski, chief economist of the National Assn. of Manufacturers. Consumer spending is expected to slow down. But an informal survey taken since the collapse in stock prices showed that only a few firms are planning cutbacks in operational budgets and capital spending, he told a press conference. “On balance, the stock market crash does not seem to have significantly eroded the confidence of manufacturers,” Jasinowski said.