USA Today (03/13/12) Matt Krantz
Many of the largest companies in the U.S. are putting some of their record piles of cash to work by boosting their hiring. Collectively the nation’s biggest companies added 4.2% more net jobs globally in 2011, based on S&P Capital IQ’s analysis of the 437 companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 that reported employee statistics. Small companies are typically the biggest drivers of new jobs, but seeing larger firms increasing staff is encouraging. “It’s refreshing to see these job gains at these large companies,” says Jack Ablin of Harris Private Bank.