Corporate earnings will be stronger in 1999, according to predictions...

Corporate earnings will be stronger in 1999, according to predictions of 331 CFOs surveyed in the latest Financial Executives Institute/Duke University Corporate Outlook Survey. CFOs at the largest firms, with annual sales of more than $5 billion, expect earnings to increase 6%; mid-sized, with sales from $500 million to $5 billion, 13%; and the smallest firms, with sales below $499 million, nearly 20%. The survey also found that 41% of the CFOs expect global financial crises to be slightly worse in 1999, while 5% expect they will be much worse. Another 24% predict they will remain the same.