Despite softening sales growth during the second quarter, economists are confident that during the next year, the economy will expand more than 2%, according to a survey by the National Association for Business Economics (NABE). Nearly 40% of respondents said they expect more employment at their companies during the next six months. "Most of them treated the second quarter as a temporary lull," said Ken Simonson, chief economist of the Associated General Contractors of America and president of NABE. "They still expect expansion going forward."