The economy continued to show improvement last month, but the pace of recovery has slowed, a monthly survey of business economist found. The National Association for Business Economics (NABE) said the percentage of firms increasing payrolls increased to 31 percent from 6 percent in June 2009. The share of respondents expecting their firms to add employees over the coming six months rose to 39 percent, the highest level of hiring intentions since January 2008. In addition, economists were optimistic about prospects for continued economic growth this year. About one out of four firms increased their capital spending in the prior quarter, similar to the results for the past year. Expectations for future capital spending rebounded slightly, with 44 percent of respondents in the latest survey expecting increases in the next 12 months, compared with 41 percent in April. As in the past five NABE surveys, expectations were positive for spending on computers and communications equipment, but negative for spending on structures.

Friday is the deadline for submitting nominations to the Des Moines-based U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy for its national awards for citizen diplomacy. Six award recipients will be honored in November in Washington, D.C., as part of the U.S. Summit for Global Citizen Diplomacy. Each honoree will receive a $5,000 donation to be awarded to their citizen diplomacy program or a nonprofit organization of their choice. Click here to submit a nomination and read more about the awards.

The Iowa Office of Energy Independence has awarded $1.39 million in grants funded by federal stimulus funds. The tax dollars are expected to generate nearly $1.5 million in private funding for projects that are aimed at reducing energy consumption, according to a news release from the office of Gov. Chet Culver. Local projects receiving awards are Sun Prairie Apartments in West Des Moines, which will receive $354,000 to install metal shingles and induction light fixtures, the Iowa State Fair Association in Des Moines, which will receive $250,000 to install renewable energy features including solar cooling benches and lighting at Expo Hill on the State Fairgrounds; and the Iowa Utilities Board in Des Moines, which will receive $25,427 to install an integrated energy management system in 74 workstations at its new complex. West Des Moines-based Kum & Go will receive $249,150 to retrofit 151 convenience stores in 95 communities with Light Emitting Diode (LED) display cooler lighting.

Only about one in seven home builders has a favorable view of the housing market, the National Association of Home Builders found in its most recent survey. This level of pessimism has not been matched since March 2009, the association said. The only upbeat views of the market were found among home builders in the Midwest and Northwest, the association said. “The pause in sales following expiration of the home buyer tax credits is turning out to be longer than anticipated due to the sluggish pace of improvement in the rest of the economy,” said David Crowe, chief economist for the builders’ advocacy and lobbying group. Home builders are encountering market conditions shaped by hesitant home buyers, tight consumer credit and continuing competition from foreclosed and distressed properties that are priced below the cost of construction, he said. On the other hand, low mortgage rates, affordable prices and favorable demographic trends should result in a 10 percent increase in new home sales, according to the report.