CEOs’ Outlook is Worst in Seven Years

* 17 percent expect an improvement within their own industries, down from 27 percent in the third quarter;

* 9 percent anticipated price increases in excess of 10 percent with respect to their firms’ selling prices in 2008, 13 percent planned decreases and 4 percent foresaw no change; and

* on average, firms planned to raise prices by 3.2 percent, slightly less than last year’s forecast of 3.3 percent.