LANSING — Some of Michigan's top business executives are more optimistic about the state's economy, expecting it to fare better than the nation as a whole.

A survey of 74 Michigan CEOs found that 64 percent forecast the state's economy to grow in the next six months, while 36 percent expect it to stay about the same. That's improved from last fall when just 36 percent anticipated growth.

Fifty-one percent expect the national economy to grow in the next six months, while 48 percent anticipate no change and 1 percent forecast a worse national economy. That's up from 19 percent who expected an improved national economy last fall.

The survey came from Business Leaders for Michigan, a group of more than 80 CEOs and executives from throughout the state representing nearly a quarter of the state's economy.

"Optimism about the economy rose sharply in the last quarter due partly to the resolution of federal budget and debt ceiling negotiations and strong year-end financial reports from major Michigan employers," BLM president and CEO Doug Rothwell said in a statement.

The outlook is even stronger for the next 18 months, with 79 percent forecasting an improved state economy and 63 percent expecting a better national performance.

Just over half (52 percent) of Michigan business leaders included in the survey expect to add jobs in the next six months, while 45 percent forecast no change and 3 percent anticipate cutting back. About 36 percent believe they will make capital investments in Michigan in the next six months.

A recent report from Gallup showed Michigan ranked seventh among the 50 states for employee perception of job creation, appearing in the top tier of states for the first time since the index was created in 2008.

But Michigan's unemployment rate of 8.4 percent in December was the fourth worst nationwide and higher than the national average of 6.7 percent.

While last year Michigan posted its second-largest annual job growth since 1999, the improvements haven't been enough to completely make up the 857,700 jobs lost from 2000 through the beginning of 2010.

Michigan has recovered about 261,000 jobs since 2010, and is expected to add another 197,700 through the end of 2016. Those job gains would account for about 53 percent of the jobs lost, according to University of Michigan economist George Fulton.

Email Melissa Anders at manders@mlive.com. Follow her on Google+ and Twitter: @MelissaDAnders. Download the MLive app for iPhone and Android.