The Asia Business Council conducted its annual survey of members in July and August 2026, gathering perspectives from CEOs and Chairmen of predominantly Asian businesses. Business sentiment across Asia was cautiously optimistic, with inflation emerging as a major economic concern. The U.S. remained the leading destination for new or increased investment, followed by India, while investment interest in Europe and Singapore increased relative to the previous year.

Geopolitics and domestic politics were seen as a key source of volatility among CEOs and Chairmen around Asia and beyond. Trade deals with the U.S. were widely perceived as more favorable to the U.S., while tariffs were seen as lose-lose, leaving both Asian economies and the U.S. worse off in the long term.