New Deloitte Survey: CFOs across Asia Pacific are confident in their company’s outlook despite global economic uncertainty

Hong Kong, 28 May 2026 - Despite widespread pessimism toward the global economy, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) across Asia Pacific are showing remarkable resilience in their domestic outlooks. 

In this new edition of the Asia Pacific CFO Pulse Survey, Deloitte explores the sentiments and key issues facing CFOs in the region. According to the new Deloitte CFO survey “Optimism through uncertainty, CFO confidence defies global risk”, despite the external headwinds, Asia Pacific CFOs’ net optimism (number of optimists minus number of pessimists) for their own company prospects sits at 41%, 68 percentage points ahead of their confidence in the global economy. On the technology front, AI is emerging as a clear differentiator in scalability and profitability, though adoption remains largely experimental. 

“CFOs are looking at the global environment with real caution, but what stands out is that they are not retreating. CFOs are leaning into what they can influence: sharpening performance, staying close to customers, protecting supply chains, while making disciplined moves to tighten costs and manage liquidity,” according to Kok Yong Ho, Deloitte Asia Pacific’s CFO Programme Leader.

Key Findings 

The survey highlights several emerging trends in how leading CFOs are reshaping their businesses amid multiple uncertainties, including the Middle East conflict, supply chain disruption, and inflation: 

• Negative global economic outlook, but a more positive outlook closer to home: More than 9 in 10 CFOs anticipate negative impacts on the global economy due to the Middle East conflict, yet confidence in the home market remains encouraging. Net optimism in their own business prospects sits at +41%, with CFOs in every region positive about the outlook for their company. Indeed, more than 80% of CFOs expect profits to increase or remain steady over the next 12 months.  

• 60% of the CFOs highlight cost control and liquidity management: CFOs are taking a range of measures to reinforce their supply chains and financial stability. The emphasis is on short-term measures, with 60% tightening cost controls and 52% increasing focus on liquidity and cash management. CFOs are also focused on innovation and growth within existing markets. The acquisition of new customers in existing geographies is the leading growth strategy overall.

• AI is driving value, while scaling remains a challenge: Most CFOs (54%) report pockets of use of AI in their organisation, although scaling remains a challenge with just 13% being extensive users. Of those who report extensive AI use, 60% are seeing value in line or exceeding their expectations – double the rate seen amongst non-extensive users. CFOs also noted that the biggest AI constraints are data quality and skills.

South Asia receives the highest confidence in domestic economic 

CFOs across Asia Pacific are looking at the economic environment with unease. Net optimism in the global economy sits at -27%, reflecting widespread pessimism in the external outlook, yet confidence in the Asia Pacific economy is stronger.

Although there is widespread divergence in views on the domestic outlook by region. CFOs in South Asia (net optimism 73%), Taiwan (China) (46%) and Singapore (26%) are notably more optimistic on the domestic economy than business leaders in New Zealand (-40%) Australia (-36%) and Southeast Asia (excluding Singapore) (-16%).  

Despite external headwinds, CFOs are confident that their organisations will be resilient. Across Asia Pacific, net optimism for own company prospects sits at +41%, 68 percentage points ahead of their confidence in the global economy. CFOs in every region are positive about the outlook for their company with more than 80% of CFOs expecting profits to increase or remain steady over the next 12 months.  

“Asia Pacific’s economic resilience is being tested by energy and input shocks which pose a near-term risk. The fundamentals of the region remain strong though, supported by regional trade and investment trends,” said David Rumbens, Partner, Deloitte Access Economics.

Middle East conflict has low impact on business outlook

Unsurprisingly, CFOs cite geopolitical instability as the primary risk to their business over the next 12 months. Supply chain disruption and inflation follow, underscoring the secondary effects stemming from the Middle East conflict. 

Across Asia Pacific, 93% of CFOs anticipate that the Middle East conflict will negatively impact the global economy, with half expecting these effects to be significant. In contrast, sentiment is more measured at the company level, with only 14% anticipating a significant impact on their own organisations.

CFOs ready to invest with the focus on existing markets

In response, CFOs are responding with characteristic discipline, taking a range of measures to reinforce their supply chains and financial stability. The emphasis is on short-term measures, with 60% tightening cost controls and 52% increasing focus on liquidity and cash management. 

For CFOs, the challenge is not predicting market outcomes, but preserving flexibility and resilience as conditions evolve, and being ready to act when circumstances dictate and opportunities arise.

 “As CFOs reinforce core fundamentals, they continue to build the capabilities that matter and preserve their ability to invest quickly when opportunities arise,” Kok Yong Ho noted.

In the face of external disruption, CFOs are focused on maximising impact in their existing markets.

The acquisition of new customers in existing geographies is the leading growth strategy overall, although this is not uniform across the region. Innovation is the focus in Taiwan (China) and South Asia, in Mainland China operational efficiency is key, while finance leaders in South Korea report that the application of technology, including AI adoption, is their top priority. 

Extensive AI users harvest scalability, profitability

Across the region, most CFOs (54%) report pockets of use of AI in their organisation, with just 13% being extensive users. This indicates that many companies are experimenting with AI, but relatively few have scaled it successfully to date. 

“Amid challenges, one significant tailwind for the region is the global boom in AI investment. Strong demand for AI infrastructure across the world is driving growth in the semiconductor industry across the region with Taiwan (China), South Korea, and Singapore particularly well-positioned to benefit,” said David Rumbens.

Companies that have been able to scale AI effectively are seeing the tangible benefits in terms of value and profitability. CFOs are seeing the impact of AI implementation with 52% citing that AI is already delivering value for their business. Of those who report extensive AI use in their organisation, 65% are seeing value in line with or exceeding their expectations – more than double the rate seen amongst non-extensive users. 

CFOs leverage AI for financial planning and analysis automation

Adoption levels in the finance function lag slightly, with 59% of CFOs reporting some use of AI in finance compared to 67% in their organisation. Although almost a third have plans to implement.

The most common uses of AI within the finance function are for financial planning and analysis automation (39%) and automated invoice processing (34%). This indicates that finance teams are primarily leveraging AI to automate routine processes, to allow greater focus on complex and value-adding activities.

Additionally, CFOs also mentioned that the biggest AI constraints are skills and data. Talent and skills gaps are seen as a key barrier to AI adoption and value delivery in the finance function. Almost every region named this as a top concern.

Data issues, including quality, access and integration, was the other stand out concern. Without good quality data companies of all types will struggle to realise the benefits that AI promises.  

To access the full report and learn more about the findings, please visit https://www.deloitte.com/ap/en/our-thinking/asia-pacific-cfo-pulse.html