During the past year, chief financial officers (CFOs) have grown significantly more confident in the U.S. economy. The 2013 Spring CFO Survey from Grant Thornton LLP reveals that 45 percent of respondents believe the state of the U.S. economy will improve during the next six months, compared to just 31 percent in the fall and 25 percent last summer.

That confidence extends throughout the survey findings, with 44 percent of those surveyed predicting that industry financial prospects will improve during the next six months, compared to 34 percent in the fall.