Research

The intense focus on cash management hasn't let up as access to credit remains tight for many companies, according to the almost 200 senior financial executives who responded to Treasury & Risk's annual cash management survey.

Pessimism may finally be abating. More than 70% of the senior financial executives surveyed say the worst of the financial crisis has passed.

Market turmoil and the recession have brought enterprise risk management (ERM) into sharper focus, say senior financial executives responding to Treasury & Risk's 2009 ERM survey.

The volatility in financial markets has resulted in another bad year for companies' retirement plans, and the more than 330 finance executives who responded to Treasury & Risk's 2009 Retirement Survey seem to be taking a fairly downbeat view.

The financial crisis has infiltrated decision-making about insurance. Almost a third of the finance executives who responded to the survey say their brokers have recommended changing carriers in their directors and officers liability program.

Finance executives at companies with revenues of $2 billion or less last year ranked an economic slowdown as their worst fear.

It's official. Ninety-six percent of senior financial executives agree we're in a recession. Still, they remain a little--not a lot--more hopeful about economic conditions a year from now.

Getting bolder; getting better.