(Reuters) – Companies around the world grew more optimistic about global growth in the coming year, but concerns about economic volatility and inflation remained, according to a survey on Monday as leaders gathered in Davos, Switzerland.
Almost 60% of bosses in a survey by accountants PwC felt optimistic about global growth over the next 12 months, compared with 38% a year earlier. The survey was conducted mainly before the US elections.
But 29% of CEOs said macroeconomic volatility could lead to a significant financial loss in the coming year, and nearly the same number cited inflation as their top concern.
“This research shows that business leaders face this future with a combination of optimism about the economy and the realism that business needs to fundamentally rethink the way it creates value if it is to thrive in the future,” Carol Stubbings, PwC’s global commercial director, said. .
Britain is ranked as the second most invested country behind the United States, the first time it has reached that spot in records dating back to 1997, PwC said.
Responding to Monday’s poll, Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said investment would help drive economic growth.
More than half of UK bosses were optimistic about economic growth in the next 12 months, up from 39% in 2023.
Global research has shown that advances in generative artificial intelligence have not led to a decrease in employment opportunities.
Most CEOs said that investing in climate initiatives either reduced their costs or had no impact on their costs, although 24% said that complex regulation made climate investments difficult.
The PwC survey was conducted between October 1 and November 8 in 109 countries.
