Why are Singaporeans the most optimistic financial executives in the world?

And which country has the most pessimistic financial executives in Asia?

It seems that Japan is least optimistic with only 59 % planning to use cash to make acquisitions in the year ahead, vs 92 % in SIngapore.

American Express conducted a survey, and they found that Singapore’s finance executives rank among the most optimistic finance chiefs around the world when it comes to their expectations for economic expansion in the year ahead. In a survey of 665 financial executives from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia and Australia, 75% say they expect their countries to register at least modest economic growth in the next 12 months. Among finance officers in Singapore, 81% expect economic expansion, according to the fourth annual American Express/CFO Research Global Business & Spending Monitor.

Here are some of the survey's highlights:

* 81% of finance executives in Singapore expect economic expansion in the year ahead
* 86% anticipate top-line growth in the next year
* 92% expect economic growth to accelerate by the end of the year
* 92% will use cash somewhat or very aggressively for acquisitions in the year ahead
* 81% of respondents in Singapore will use cash somewhat or very aggressively to expand
headcount and operating activities in the year ahead
• 92% of respondents in Singapore anticipate the pace of economic growth will pick up by the end
of this year
• Despite expectations for modest economic expansion in the U.S., the outlook for a faster growth
rate this year is less rosy – just 54% of U.S.-based respondents expect economic growth to
accelerate by the end of 2011.
• A total of 71% executives around the world expect growth to speed up by the end of the year

More than 80% of respondents in Singapore — as well as those in Australia, Hong-Kong and India
report that they are experiencing strong cash flow. Deal-making tops the list when it comes to plans for capital deployment, with almost seven in ten finance executives around the world (69%) focusing on somewhat or very aggressive use of cash for acquisitions over the next twelve months. Among Singapore respondents, 92% of plan to use cash somewhat or very aggressively for acquisitions in the year ahead, compared to 84% in Hong Kong, 84% in India, 83% in Australia, and 59% in Japan.