A survey by Duke University shows Chief Financial Officers from across the country were more optimistic the last quarter of the year than in earlier months.
The Duke – C-F-O Magazine Global Business Outlook Survey projects some job growth in 2012. Financial officers expect hiring to increase by one-point-five percent. That may be enough to decrease the 9-percent U-S jobless rate by a whole point by the end of next year. Most of the hiring will be in energy, transportation and consulting. Numbers show projected capital spending is also up. The news is encouraging – according to authors of the survey, except that many C-F-O’s say they don’t have contingency plans in case the country falls back into recession. One-third say they believe the U-S will enter recession in the next six months.