Bet On Broader Market ETFs to Play a Three-Year High CEO Confidence

Chief executives in the United States are more confident in their business outlook than they have been in three years, according to new data from the Conference Board, as quoted on Yahoo Finance. The Conference Board's measure of CEO confidence rose by nine points in the first quarter of 2025, reaching a reading of 60 — the highest level since 2022.A reading above 50 indicates a shift from "cautious optimism" to "confident optimism" among business leaders. The survey, conducted between January 27 and February 10, included responses from 134 U.S. CEOs.Optimism in Economic and Industry ConditionsAccording to Stephanie Guichard, senior economist of global indicators at the Conference Board, the improvement in CEO confidence was both "significant and broad-based." Executives expressed greater optimism about current economic conditions as well as the future outlook, both overall and within their respective industries.A strong labor market contributed to CEOs' growing confidence. About 73% of CEOs plan to grow or maintain their workforce over the next 12 months.Broad Economic Optimism Among CEOsExecutives expressed confidence in both current and future economic conditions. About 44% of CEOs reported that economic conditions had improved over the past six months, up from 20% last quarter. About 56% expect conditions to improve in the next six months, compared to 33% in the previous quarter.Any Wall of Worry?Concerns over various business risks have eased compared to late 2024. According to Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., vice chairman of the Business Council and chair emeritus of the Conference Board, fewer CEOs cited cyber threats, regulatory uncertainty, financial risks, and supply chain disruptions as major concerns.However, geopolitical tension has been a key concern. Despite CEOs' positive outlook, consumer sentiment remains subdued. In February, the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment survey fell to a seven-month low due to rising concerns about inflation.Against this backdrop, it is better to bet on the U.S. equity market through a basket approach. Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF VTI, iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF ITOT and  iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF QUAL, Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF SCHB, iShares Russell 3000 ETF IWV and Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF DFUS and SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF SPTM are some of the ETFs that can be played to capitalize on a three-year high CEO confidence.Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI): ETF Research Reports iShares Russell 3000 ETF (IWV): ETF Research Reports iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL): ETF Research Reports Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (SCHB): ETF Research Reports iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT): ETF Research Reports SPDR Portfolio S&P 1500 Composite Stock Market ETF (SPTM): ETF Research Reports Dimensional U.S. Equity Market ETF (DFUS): ETF Research ReportsTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks