CareerBuilder CEO Matt Ferguson appeared on CNBC Power Lunch late last week to discuss findings from the Young Presidents’ Organization’s Global Pulse CEO Confidence Index, a survey gauging opinions of CEOs on the future of the economy. He also talked about changes in job activity on CareerBuilder’s site and answered questions about job creation for 2011 and which industries and regions are doing the most robust hiring right now.

YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization), a global network of 17,000 CEOs under the age of 50, surveyed 2,256 CEOs across the world representing companies of all sizes (1,144 respondents were in the U.S.) to measure economic sentiment. The Global Pulse CEO Confidence Index found, among other things, that the hiring outlook is improving both here in the U.S. and abroad.

Watch Matt’s full interview on CNBC Power Lunch:

Let’s take a closer look at a few key findings from the YPO survey:

1. CEOs are more growing more confident in the economy.

• Global confidence rose 2.8 points to 64.7.  The U.S. index rose 3.6 points to 63.5, the highest since the survey began in July 2009.
• 61% of CEOS said economic conditions have improved compared to six months ago, up from 46% last quarter.
• 67% expect economic conditions to improve over the next six months, up from 60% last quarter.
• The emerging markets are the most bullish while the European Union has been the least optimistic, though confidence levels are rising there as well.  Lower confidence levels in countries like Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal are tied to sovereign debt problems.  Latin America is the most optimistic.

2. The hiring outlook is improving domestically and internationally.

• The YPO employment index rose 1.9 points to 59.0 in the U.S. Hiring expectations were positive across all sectors, including construction, which prior to this point has lagged production and services.

3. Companies expect stronger sales this year

• The sales confidence index for the U.S. rose to 68.5 from 49.2 in July 2009.   Production and services companies remain enthusiastic about the pace of the sales in 2011.  Construction is growing more confident.

4. Firms of all sizes expect to boost capital spending.

• The investment confidence index for the U.S. rose 1.5 points to 59.7.

How do these results compare to what you’re seeing at your own organization?