Insurance
Home›Insurance›Industry & Deals›Executive anxiety spikes as 2026 geopolitics and econo…
Executive anxiety spikes as 2026 geopolitics and economic shocks reshape plans
A Sentry survey of 625 U.S. executives found 82% are more concerned about their business futures than they were at end-2025, with 88% citing faster-moving geopolitical events making risk management harder.
More than eight in 10 U.S. executives say their concern about their company’s future has increased by midyear 2026, a shift tied to both geopolitical and economic shocks, according to Sentry’s 2026 C-Suite Stress Index: Midyear Report. In the survey of 625 executives at firms with at least 10 employees in May 2026, 82% said 2026 events have made them more concerned than at the end of 2025, when 54% predicted they would thrive while 22% expected stability or growth. The report also found 88% of executives say geopolitical events are unfolding so quickly that accurate risk management has become difficult.
Sentry said international conflicts have affected 61% of U.S. organizations this year, both directly, including shipping delays, and indirectly through items such as higher gas prices. As a result, 98% of executives said 2026 developments have influenced long-term planning, with 70% moving to shorter planning intervals and 61% adding more contingencies; among companies with more than 1,000 employees, 55% are shortening planning horizons and 53% are increasing contingency planning.
The insurer reported that supply chain and logistics challenges remain the most commonly cited threat, with 62% of executives naming it, up from 45% in December 2025. Tariffs and trade uncertainty rose to 52% from 39%, economic pressures increased to 53% from 44%, and labor shortages climbed to 49% from 38%. Some executives anticipate potential relief, with 64% expecting the Supreme Court decision to invalidate tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to positively affect operations, though 53% expect only a slight benefit.