The global economy is on track for steady growth in 2025, with corporate confidence on the rise, according to an EY survey of CEOs.
The survey revealed that 73% of chief executives expressed confidence in their company’s growth prospects, up from 70% in September and 64% in January of last year.
Despite the optimism, key challenges remain for business leaders, including concerns about taxes, regulations, and potential trade tariffs. Many are closely watching President Donald Trump’s policies as he begins his second term in office.
On his first day back in the White House, Trump signed several executive orders, including pardoning participants in the January 6 Capitol riot and withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris climate accord.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum, EY CEO Janet Truncale noted that while it is still early in Trump’s presidency, global CEOs remain optimistic about the year ahead.
“There’s so much to digest over the last 24 hours and there’s going to be so much more, going forward,” Truncale told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” in Davos, Switzerland.
“But with our CEO survey what we’ve seen is a steady increase in confidence over the last year, that’s what’s important because confidence is going to give our clients the ability to make long-term decisions, to create long-term value for their clients and their employees,” she said.
Meanwhile, PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey, unveiled at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting on Monday, stated that nearly 60% of CEOs worldwide anticipate global economic growth will improve over the next 12 months, according to
The survey, which gathered insights from 4,701 CEOs across 109 countries and territories, highlights a strong outlook for employment. About 42% of CEOs plan to expand their workforce by 5% or more in the next year—more than double the 17% who anticipate reductions. This marks an increase from 39% in the previous year.
Smaller companies (under $100 million in revenue) led the hiring optimism, with 48% expecting to increase headcount, alongside industries like technology (61%), real estate (61%), private equity (52%), and pharma and life sciences (51%).
The results reflect growing confidence in the global economy and suggest robust hiring trends in key sectors.
