CEO confidence has sharply declined, with the Conference Board's Measure of CEO Confidence dropping to 47 in Q2 2026 from 59 in Q1. This marks a shift into pessimistic territory, as a score below 50 indicates more CEOs view the economy as deteriorating. The survey, released on May 28, 2026, highlights a significant drop in optimism, with only 15% of CEOs seeing improved economic conditions compared to 39% in the previous quarter. The decline is attributed to ongoing supply chain disruptions and energy pressures, which are increasing costs and affecting operations across industries. These challenges are expected to impact business investments and risk appetites, particularly in volatile markets like cryptocurrency. The upcoming Q3 survey will be crucial in determining whether this trend continues or stabilizes.