A rising number of manufacturers are canceling new investments and putting off new hires because they fear paralysis in Washington will force hundreds of billions in tax hikes and budget cuts in January, undermining economic growth in the coming months.

Executives at companies making everything from electrical components and power systems to automotive parts say the fiscal stalemate is prompting them to pull back now, rather than wait for a possible resolution to the deadlock on Capitol Hill.

Democrats and Republicans are far apart on how to extend Bush-era tax breaks beyond January, the same month automatic spending reductions are set to take effect unless there is a deal to trim the deficit. The combination of tax increases and spending cuts is creating an economic threat dubbed "the fiscal cliff" by Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board.

Until recently, the loudest warnings about the economy have come from policymakers and economists, along with defense industry executives who rely heavily on the Pentagon's largess and who would be hurt by the government reductions.