Despite concerns over the Middle East situation, CEOs of major US corporations remain increasingly confident about the economy, reaching the highest level in over a year.

Despite global economic uncertainty, the Iran war has pushed up energy prices and triggered market turmoil, but the confidence of CEOs of large American corporations strengthened in the first quarter.

According to a survey released on Wednesday, the CEO Economic Outlook Index by the Business Roundtable rose 9 points to 89, a new high for more than a year. An index above 50 indicates expected growth in capital expenditures, sales, and hiring in the next six months.

The survey was conducted from February 23 to March 6, with 169 CEOs participating. During the survey period, the U.S. Supreme Court had just overturned several comprehensive tariff policies of President Trump, and the U.S. and Israel had also launched attacks on Iran.

Chuck Robbins, Chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems and Chairman of the Business Roundtable, said in a statement: "The survey shows that last year's tax reforms, responsible deregulation, and the resilience of the U.S. economy have all played a role. We look forward to continuing to work with the Trump administration and Congress in the coming months to advance policies that can drive long-term growth."

Hiring plans have improved, but about one-third of CEOs still plan to lay off employees in the coming months.

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