Catalyst Corporate, in announcing the results of its annual CU CEO Confidence Survey, has proclaimed that credit union CEOs are "significantly more optimistic about their economic environment today than they were one year ago."

The numbers underline that conclusion.  Said Catalyst, the Plano, Texas-based corporate credit union: "The fourth quarter 2011 index of 26.81 is nearly 16 points higher than the fourth quarter 2010 index. Historically, the index has ranged from a high of 47.40 (Q204) to a low of 7.90 (Q109) over the survey's eight-year lifespan."

Catalyst elaborated on the methodology: "The survey registers credit union CEO confidence on a five-point scale from -100 to +100 in six key areas:

• Current financial condition of members
• Current financial condition of the credit union
• Anticipated financial condition of members in six months
• Anticipated financial condition of the credit union in six months
• Anticipated loan demand at the credit union in six months
• Anticipated share deposit growth at the credit union in six months"

Importantly, credit union CEOs are especially buoyant about prospects for their own institution, per Catalyst, representing a sharp turnaround from year-ago gloom.