The mood in the C-suite just got a lot colder. The Conference Board’s Measure of CEO Confidence fell to 47 in the second quarter of 2026, down from 59 in Q1, a swing large enough to drag the index back below the neutral 50 threshold and into firmly pessimistic territory.
A reading below 50 means more CEOs see the economy deteriorating than improving.
The numbers tell a bleak story
The quarterly survey, released on May 28, 2026, captures a dramatic reversal in executive sentiment. Just three months ago, 39% of CEOs said economic conditions had improved relative to six months prior. That figure has now collapsed to 15%.
Meanwhile, 47% of CEOs reported that conditions were worse compared to six months ago. Think about that ratio for a moment: roughly three executives saying things got worse for every one saying things got better.
