Chief executive sentiment improved markedly in the third quarter, according to The Conference Board’s latest CEO Confidence Index. All three components of the gauge climbed from deep pessimism to near-neutral territory, reversing the collapse recorded in the second quarter. Only 36% of surveyed CEOs now expect a recession within the next 12–18 months, down sharply from 83% in the previous quarter. While concerns over trade and U.S. tariffs have receded, most leaders still report rising input costs and point to geopolitical instability and cyber threats as their main risks.