Bill Weissman said sales at his Fitchburg furniture-making company have been so strong this year that he considered buying new equipment and hiring new workers. But Weissman said he is “worried sick’’ that events in Washington will harm the stock market and an already fragile economy, so he is putting off expansion plans.

“It’s just got me to the point where I’m not looking to take any further risk,’’ Weissman said of the debt-ceiling debate. “At least not until I can see some stability on the horizon.’’

The political crisis in Washington has begun to affect business decisions across a wide array of Massachusetts employers, from manufacturers to real estate firms to high-tech companies. Still cautious from the last recession, many business owners worry that government leaders will be unable to reach an agreement, while others are concerned about exactly the opposite: that any agreement will invariably include spending cuts and weaken an already lackluster recovery.

The result could be even more caution among businesses, and even slower growth for the state and national economies.

“This only heightens the level of uncertainty,’’ said Northeastern University economics professor Alan Clayton-Matthews of the business climate. “Uncertainty leads to lenders being less willing to lend, investors being less willing to invest, and businesses being less willing to expand.’’

Lawmakers in Washington have been trying for weeks to craft a deficit-reduction package to win congressional support for raising the nation’s debt limit. If they fail to raise the limit by Aug. 2, the government would lose its authority to continue borrowing to meet its obligations and default, possibly provoking an economic crisis.

Stalled negotiations in Washington led to a recent slip in the dollar’s value against other currencies, while stocks declined yesterday. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 88 points to close at 12,593.

Gold, considered a safe haven for investors in risky times, rose to a record high yesterday of more than $1,600 a troy ounce in New York.

Despite yesterday’s decline, markets still seem to be betting that policy makers will reach a deal before the deadline. Investors continue to buy Treasuries, and their interest rates remain low, a sign that most buyers still see little risk in them. But fears are beginning to surface.

Mortgage rates, which are closely linked to Treasury rates, have also remained steady, but Amy Slotnick, vice president of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. in Needham, said there is industry apprehension that rates will spike as the threat of default nears.

Slotnick said she met with a customer yesterday who decided to refinance a home and lock in a rate due to concerns over the government inaction.