CEOs Sound Least Worried About an Economic Slowdown Since 2007

Company executives are sounding remarkably upbeat about the economy this earnings season, even as trade tensions linger and stock valuations look stretched.

Mentions of “economic slowdown” and synonyms during sales, guidance and earnings calls tracked by Bloomberg are the lowest since 2007. That’s despite the disruption to official US data caused by the government shutdown and the murkier policy outlook it’s led to. And this is playing out as the S&P 500 heads for a third year of high returns, with stocks as expensive as they were at their post-pandemic peak.

Investors’ worst fears of how tariffs would ravage ...