Poll finds pessimism dramatically increasing among CEOs around the world

The biggest drop in confidence was recorded by CEOs in North America, where optimism went from 63% in 2018 to 37% this year. Part of the recession could be explained by a diminishing enthusiasm for the economic policies developed by Washington.

President Donald Trump's appearance at the 2018 meeting coincided with tremendous enthusiasm for the Commander-in-Chief's economic success, with WEF C-Suite participants touting the benefits of US tax cuts. The president's decision not to participate in this year's event due to the closure of the US government comes in the hope that the "Trump shock" will begin to subside and that trade tensions with China will begin to erode. bite.

"What you have now is not much more positive, you see a lot more disadvantages with the political agenda and trade disputes, and no promise or hope for anything other than infrastructure. "explained Moritz.

The level of concern over the US-China trade struggle is shared fairly evenly between the leaders of the two countries involved in the conflict. "Ninety-eight percent of US CEOs and 90% of Chinese CEOs have expressed these concerns," said PwC's global audit firm.

However, despite rumors about tariffs, the United States and China remain the main markets for attracting investment outside the domestic CEO market. The United States kept its first position with a 27% popularity, rising from 46% in 2018, while China also dropped from 24% to 33%. The survey indicates that the global superpowers' trade difficulties could be the gain for India, which has distinguished itself as a rising star in PwC's most attractive list of investment destinations.

"When you look at what Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi has done to this country and the trajectory it has followed, there are still challenges to be faced, but there are many possibilities if you look at them. labor, infrastructure, "said Moritz, while admitting that the upcoming elections in India could be a litmus test for Modi.

"How to move India from this country-oriented country to a larger global player, I think its challenge is to badume the fact that it will succeed in the upcoming elections and take advantage of opportunities."