... score remained negative as U.S. companies froze or in some cases cut their spending. The rapid slide in the price of crude oil since mid-2014 has already led many oil and gas companies to announce cuts in planned capital spending for this year. At current prices, less competitive shale production will be shuttered, and associated capital budgets slashed. As well as the pull-back in energy spending, we also forecast a reduction in capex for U.S. telecom companies and utilities in 2015....