CEO Confidence Takes Slight Step Backwards

NEW YORK, NY, Jul 06 (MARKET WIRE) --
Chief Executive magazine's CEO Index, the nation's only monthly CEO
Index, fell 2 percent or 1.4 points, to 74.3 points in June 2009, after
three consecutive months of incremental increases, underscoring the
uncertainty amongst the 227 CEOs polled in June.

All component indices of the CEO Index declined in June, with the only
exception of Future Confidence and Business Conditions Indices. The
largest drop was witnessed in the Current Confidence Index, which plunged
11 percent to 62.8 points.

"The shift in CEO sentiment -- albeit slight -- points to the continued
volatility in market conditions," said JP Donlon, Editor-in-Chief of Chief
Executive magazine. "The mixed signals in the economy and the continued
distress in business conditions are all causing CEOs to be cautious and
conservative with current investment and business decisions."

For the third straight month, the difference between Current and Future
Confidence Index, which measures the outlook of employment, economic and
capital spending opportunities over the next quarter, continued to widen,
underscoring CEOs growing confidence in future conditions, despite the
ongoing doubts about current conditions.

In June, the Future Confidence Index increased 3 percent to 82.1 points,
its highest level since October 2008, even as the Current Confidence
dropped. Tom Nora, Chairman, Darwin Falls Partners LLC, said, "CEO
confidence will begin to increase soon, catalyzing the actual turnaround
in 2010."

In additional polling this month, CEOs were asked about the current state
of their employment and compensation practices. Forty-five percent of CEOs
said they have put a freeze on hiring, while 47 percent said they had a
freeze on salary increases. Only 24 percent of CEOs polled said their
companies were still hiring and only 25 percent said they are moving
forward with salary and bonus increases. Worse yet, 30 percent of CEOs
said they are contemplating further layoffs.

For additional information regarding the confidence of public and
private-company CEOs, details about CEO attitudes on employment,
investment and business conditions, visit our full report at
http://www.chiefexecutive.net/ceoindex.

About Chief Executive magazine

Chief Executive is a controlled circulation magazine that has been
published since 1977. It reaches 42,000 chief executive officers and their
peers, reaches a total readership of 220,000. Chief Executive Group
facilitates "Chief Executive of the Year," a prestigious honor bestowed
upon an outstanding corporate leader, nominated and selected by a group of
his or her peers. Anne Mulcahy, Bob Ulrich, A. G. Lafley, George David,
Fred Smith, Bill Gates, John Chambers, Michael Dell and Sandy Weill are
just some of the leaders who have been honored during the award's 23-year
history. Chief Executive also organizes roundtable meetings and
conferences to foster opportunities for top corporate officers to discuss
key subjects and share their experiences within a community of peers.
Visit www.chiefexecutive.net for more information.

CEO Index, June 2009
Respondents: 227

Index May, June, Monthly
2009 2009 Change
---------------------------------------------------------
CEO Index 75.7 74.3 -1.4
Current Confidence Index 69.6 62.8 -6.8
Future Confidence Index 79.8 82.1 2.3
Business Condition Index 68.3 69.2 0.9
Invest Confidence Index 100.4 96.8 -3.6
Employment Confidence Index 51.8 50.9 -0.9

What is your company's current employment position?
Reducing Head count 70 30.57%
Hiring Freeze 105 45.85%
Hiring 54 23.58%
* Total Responses 229
What is your company's current position on compensation?
Normal salary and bonus increases 57 24.89%
Salary freezes 109 47.60%
Reductions to compensation and other cuts 56 24.45%
* Total Responses 222

Contact:
Harold Reid
MWW Group
201-964-2446
Email Contact

Jim Floody
Chief Executive
954-761-2216
Email Contact

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

-0-