NEW YORK: Business economists are slightly less bullish about prospects for economic growth next year, according to a survey published on Monday. The National Association for Business Economics (NABE) says the average forecast is for growth of 2.6 per cent next year, down slightly from 2.7 per cent in its previous survey conducted in September. But they expect the jobs market to continue strengthening, with the unemployment rate dropping to 4.7 per cent by the end of 2016. The rate now stands at five per cent.