CEOs are feeling more confident about economy — and concerned about the election

US business leaders are feeling more optimistic about the economy, despite concerns about the upcoming presidential election. According to a CEO confidence measure for the first quarter, optimism among CEOs outweighs pessimism for the first time in two years. The survey shows that 36% of CEOs expect economic conditions to improve in the short term, up from 19% last quarter. Additionally, only 27% of CEOs expect conditions to worsen in the next six months, down from 47% in the previous survey. However, CEOs are worried about the potential impact of the political situation on their businesses. Political uncertainty ahead of the 2024 election is seen as the greatest challenge, followed by increased regulation and high interest rates.