The Conference Board reports drop in CEO confidence to 47 amid supply chain concerns

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.

The primary culprits behind this pessimism are supply chain disruptions and energy pressures.

Supply chains and energy: the twin pressure points

For CEOs, supply chain issues translate directly into higher input costs, unpredictable lead times, and the inability to fulfill orders on schedule. Energy pressures compound the problem, rippling through every layer of the economy, from manufacturing and transportation to data center operations and consumer pricing.

What this means for investors and crypto markets

When CEO confidence drops this sharply, the typical downstream sequence involves slowing business investment, downward revisions to economic growth expectations, and contraction in risk appetite across asset classes. That contraction in risk appetite is where crypto feels the pinch, as institutional allocators tend to pull back from volatile assets.

The flip from 59 to 47 in a single quarter also complicates the monetary policy picture, as central bankers face a choice between supporting growth and maintaining price stability in an environment where supply-side pressures are inherently inflationary.

For now, capital flows into riskier assets, including Bitcoin and altcoins, face headwinds. The Q3 survey will indicate whether a reading dips further into the low 40s, which would signal a sustained period of corporate retrenchment, or stabilizes near current levels.

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