Executive optimism on US economy rises in Q1 AICPA-CIMA survey

Business leaders became much optimistic astir the US system successful the archetypal 3 months of this year, according to the first‑quarter (Q1) American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) Economic Outlook Survey.

The survey, conducted connected 3–24 February 2026, includes 236 qualified responses from AICPA members successful enforcement roles successful concern and industry.

In the latest poll, 39% of respondents said they are optimistic astir the US system implicit the adjacent 12 months, an summation from 28% reported successful the erstwhile quarter.

Views connected company‑level prospects besides improved.

Executives expressing optimism astir their ain organisations accrued to 47% successful Q1, up from 41% successful Q4 past year.

Some 55% of executives present expect their businesses to turn this quarter, compared with 48% who said the aforesaid 3 months earlier.

Domestic economical conditions remained the astir often cited contented for respondents.

Concerns astir worker and benefits costs climbed into 2nd place, portion spending connected materials, supplies and instrumentality moved into third. Reports of ostentation arsenic a superior interest eased during the quarter.

Some different cardinal findings of the survey see that expectations of a recession person shifted notably, portion hiring conditions look broadly unchanged.

In presumption of the fiscal outlook, respondents present task gross to turn by 2.9% implicit the adjacent 12 months. The nett maturation forecast is astatine 1.6%, according to the survey.

The probe besides recovered sentiment connected the planetary system has improved, with the stock of executives expressing optimism rising to 25% from 22% successful the anterior quarter. However, it besides noted that the fieldwork ended earlier the latest developments successful the Middle East.

"Executive optimism connected US system rises successful Q1 AICPA-CIMA survey" was primitively created and published by The Accountant, a GlobalData owned brand.

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