Joblessness continues to rise. - In a recent poll, 40% of business leaders in the United States are planning to reduce their workforce in the next six months, despite signs of economic recovery and rising turnover for 51% of those polled. Similarly, 35% of those polled will reduce investment expenditure, with 21% planning to boost investment. After becoming negative a year ago, the business confidence indicator has risen in the third quarter of this year. Business leaders are now forecasting a 0.9% slump in GDP in 2009, compared with initial forecasts of 2.1% in June. Against analysts' expectations, the consumer confidence indicator fell from 54.5 in August to 53.1 points in September. (I.L./transl.fl)