In an increasingly volatile world, companies are findingit more difficult to forecast various factors, and that is creatinggreater uncertainty around corporate earnings.

A survey of North American finance executives by the Associationfor Financial Professionals (AFP) and Oliver Wyman Group found that53% said earnings uncertainty is a bigger concern than it was fiveyears ago, prior to the financial crisis. And there's little reliefin sight, with 52% predicting that earnings uncertainty willincrease over the next three years.

“The overall number of people who felt that forecasting ismore difficult than five years ago, that's a startling number,”said David Beckoff, manager of survey research at AFP and theauthor of the report. “It also jumps out that when you say whatabout the next three years, basically an equivalent number say it'sgoing to get more challenging.”