Deloitte’s quarterly survey of CFOs has found that most are optimistic heading in to 2013. However, that optimism stems from a sense that the economy is less bad than it could have been. The eurozone is intact (for now), credit is more available (for now), emerging markets are strong (for now). All of that could have gone the other way. However, the fact that it didn’t has led to the relatively positive outlook CFOs are exhibiting.

Though it may seem slightly worrying that optimism is high because the economy is only sort of in a recession, this is good news for business leaders who have spent over four years waiting for the next bank to fall or the next currency to fail. Deloitte’s survey reports that more than half of CFOs are using the recession as an opportunity to expand their company’s market share and implement change within the organisation. Yet most are still wary of unnecessary risks in an uncertain world.

Despite the optimistic mood, CFOs still believe there is a 40% chance that the UK will recede into recession by 2015.

“Confidence has returned, but perceptions of economic and financial uncertainty remain high and the greatest worries for CFOs are still the weakness of the euro-area and U.K. economies,” Ian Stewart, chief U.K. economist at Deloitte, says.