America’s CEOs are the most confident they have been in 17 years, as company leaders expect fewer layoffs and further improvements in the business environment, according to a recent survey from the Conference Board, a non-profit think tank.
But this sentiment doesn’t align with the experience of millions of Americans who are still unemployed and need government aid to make ends meet as a result of the pandemic. The disconnect is yet more proof of the k-shaped recovery, in which some Americans are experiencing major improvements while others are still suffering. For example, a recent consumer sentiment survey from the University of Michigan showed that households making less than $75,000 per year felt especially pessimistic about their financial futures as of February. Meanwhile, CEO confidence stood at 73 points in the first quarter of the year, marking its highest level since the same period in 2004, according to the Conference Board.
