CEOs are expressing more confidence under President Donald Trump, according to a new survey.
In fact, CEO confidence rose to its highest level in three years, The Conference Board survey results showed Thursday, Axios reported.
The survey, conducted in collaboration with The Business Council, found that CEO confidence increased by 9 points in the first quarter of 2025, Longview News-Journal reported.
"The improvement in CEO Confidence in the first quarter of 2025 was significant and broad-based," The Conference Board senior economist Stephanie Guichard said.
"All components of the Measure improved, as CEOs were substantially more optimistic about current economic conditions as well as about future economic conditions—both overall and in their own industries."
The results indicate CEOs have shifted from the cautious optimism that prevailed in 2024 to a more confident optimism amid Trump's threatenings to implement new tariffs on the country's largest trading partners.
Trump said Monday that the United States will charge other countries a reciprocal tariff to "bring fairness and prosperity back," as well as level the playing field for American workers.
He delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico to give them time to show cooperation in stopping the migrant influx over the borders, and put an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports due to that country's role in the production of the opioid fentanyl.
"Accompanying Q1's surge in confidence, CEOs also reported an easing of concerns regarding a range of business risks," The Business Council Vice Chairman and Chair Emeritus of The Conference Board Roger W. Ferguson, Jr. said.
"Compared to Q4 2024, fewer CEOs ranked cyber threats, regulatory uncertainty, financial and economic risks, and supply chain disruptions as high-impact risks. The one exception was geopolitical instability, which 55% of CEOs in Q1 saw as a high-impact risk to their industry—up from 52% last quarter."
Overall, 73% of CEOs say they plan to grow or maintain the size of their workforce over the next 12 months, virtually unchanged from last quarter.
Fewer CEOs (32%) say they expect to increase their workforce. In the previous survey, 40% said that.
The Conference Board survey was conducted among 134 CEOs between Jan. 27-Feb. 10.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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