Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeNewsEconomyCEOs turn pessimistic about U.S. economy as supply risks mountForty percent of CEOs see the business climate worsening in the next six months, up from 13 per cent in the previous surveyAuthor of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Nearly half of respondents said economic conditions were worse, a dramatic swing from the eight per cent who said as much in the first quarter. Photo by Valeriya/Getty ImagesConfidence among chief executive officers about the United States economy tumbled in the second quarter as concerns intensified about supply chains and energy.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorThe Conference Board’s Measure of CEO Confidence dropped to 47 from 59 in the first three months of the year, according to results published Thursday. Readings below 50 indicate more negative than positive responses.Some 141 CEOs participated in the survey, which was conducted May 4-18 and released in collaboration with the Business Council.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“CEOs reported that the economy is materially worse now than it was six months ago and expected economic conditions to weaken further over the next six months,” Dana Peterson, chief economist at the Conference Board, said in a statement.Nearly half of respondents said economic conditions were worse, a dramatic swing from the eight per cent who said as much in the first quarter.Forty percent see the business climate worsening in the next six months, up from 13 per cent in the previous survey.At the same time, CEOs are not wavering on their capital spending plans. About 37 per cent are expecting to increase outlays, a larger share than in the first quarter.“Additionally, the ‘low-hire, low-fire’ economy remains in place. The share of CEOs planning to increase the size of their workforce over the next 12 months edged down, while those expecting job cuts rose slightly,” Roger Ferguson, vice chairman of the Business Council and Chair Emeritus of the Conference Board, said in a statement. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.