Global Economic Confidence Among Finance Professionals Remains Low Despite Q2 Improvement
In the second quarter of 2026, economic confidence among global accountants and finance executives showed a modest improvement compared to the first quarter. The quarterly Economic Confidence Index rose from -39.5 in Q1 to -26.5 in Q2, but it remains below its historical median since early 2022. Despite this slight uptick, professionals remain pessimistic about global economic conditions due to ongoing conflicts and rising costs. The survey by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), which included responses from over 600 participants between June 3-17, found that most respondents were still grappling with increased operational expenses. Eighty-three percent of CFOs reported rising costs in Q2 due to higher commodity prices and supply chain disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. While AI investment has supported global growth and boosted stock markets, finance professionals are more broadly concerned about economic pressures than geopolitical instability or cybersecurity risks.
Topics: AI investment confidence index economic conditions global economy