Corporate executives are feeling more optimistic about the economy. That's according to a survey of Chief Financial Officers conducted by Duke University's Fuqua business school and Federal Reserve Banks in Richmond and Atlanta. But CFO's remain concerned about the job market and monetary policy.
Duke Finance Professor John Graham says many companies want to hire more workers. But 40 percent of CFOs surveyed say they're hampered by a tight labor market.
"Over the last year, maybe your last six months, it's finally falling a little bit more back into business's favor where they've been able to hire, but they're still looking to plug, you know, certain positions like accountants and diesel mechanics.," he said.
CFOs are also keeping an eye on interest rates. If rates stay high, companies may pull back on spending and hiring by the end of the year.
Graham says 2,200 Chief Financial Officers participated in the nationwide survey.