Forty-seven percent of U.S. business leaders believe the economy will improve in the next six months, compared with 34 percent in August, according to a quarterly survey by Grant Thornton LLP. The survey of 362 senior executives conducted Nov. 3 to Nov. 16 also found that the job outlook has also improved, with 43 percent of respondents indicating that their companies plan to hire in the next six months. That figure is up from 38 percent in August. And though 79 percent of business leaders are optimistic that their businesses are poised for growth, 52 percent of survey respondents think the United States is poised for a double-dip recession. Overall, Grant Thompson’s Business Optimism Index is up 4.6 points to 63.