Question-and-Answer Session
[Operator Instructions].
Mark Oberle, Vice President of Investor Relations and Public Affairs
I would like to remind everyone if we could keep your first set of questions to one question and one follow-up, time allowing we'll have, we will be able to go back and get you back in queue for some more questions.
Operator
And your first question comes from the line of Edlain Rodriguez from Goldman Sachs. Please proceed.
Edlain Rodriguez - Goldman Sachs
Thank you very much. David, quick question for you. We understand that current headwinds facing the company and the industry, that's slow in demand and higher cost. Given that, do you believe that Celanese is still positioned to grow earnings to level you mentioned in the past, namely 15% a year that should get above $5 by 2010.
David N. Weidman - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Edlain, as we look out, we are very, very confident with the growth that we have. The $300 million to $350 million of earnings growth, remaining is about $200 million little bit more than that in 2009, 2010, we are on track for that, in executing.
Strong cash generation in the company was a very important part of that $5, concept and that remained very, very strong. And the only other question out there is, what portent the economic environment in 2010. To view the world in 2010 is likely to be very similar to what we had in the first half of the year, we are confident.
Edlain Rodriguez - Goldman Sachs
Okay, good. Follow-up, can you please remind us what the timeline for the $400 million in share repurchase is, and also would you accelerate that pace given the market reaction that we see today in the stock?
Steven Sterin - Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Yeah. Sure, Edlain. It's Steven. Yeah, so far through the year we've acquired just under 3 million shares, cash generation remains strong, we continue to be out in the market, we are taking a measured opportunistic approach, that share repurchase, we don't have a fixed timetable on it. But we continue to be out actively repurchasing shares.
David N. Weidman - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Okay, Edlain. I'll just add to that, our objective is optimizing number of shares we purchased, not just to spend cash.
Edlain Rodriguez - Goldman Sachs
Okay, good. Thank you.
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