Business leaders became more optimistic about the U.S. economy in the first three months of this year, according to the first quarter (Q1) economic outlook survey of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
The survey, conducted February 3-24, 2026, included 236 eligible responses from AICPA members in executive roles in business and industry.
In the latest poll, 39% of respondents said they are optimistic about the US economy over the next 12 months, up from 28% reported in the previous quarter.
The outlook on company-wide prospects is also improved.
Executives expressing optimism about their organizations increased to 47% in Q1, up from 41% in Q4 last year.
About 55% of executives now expect their business to grow this quarter, compared to 48% who said the same three months ago.
Household economic status remains the most recurring issue for respondents.
Concerns about employee and benefits costs rose to second place, while the cost of materials, supplies and equipment came in third. As a primary concern, reports of inflation eased during the quarter.
Some of the other key findings of the survey include that deficit expectations have changed significantly, while employment conditions have remained largely unchanged.
Taking a financial perspective, respondents now anticipate revenue growth of 2.9% over the next 12 months. According to the survey, profit growth is forecast at 1.6%.
The survey also found that sentiment about the global economy has improved, with the share of CEOs expressing optimism rising from 22% to 25% in the previous quarter. However, it was also noted that the field work was completed before the recent developments in the Middle East.
“Executive optimism about U.S. economy improves in Q1 AICPA-CIMA survey” was originally developed and published by Accountability, a brand owned by GlobalData.
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