Finance leaders entered 2026 with slightly tempered optimism but a continued focus on balancing cost discipline with strategic investment, according to Deloitte’s latest CFO Signals survey.

The CFO confidence score dipped to 6.3 in the first quarter, down from 6.6 in Q4 2025, though it remains in “high” territory and among the strongest readings since 2022.

That cautious outlook is reflected in shifting sentiment: 74% of CFOs say they are optimistic about their own company prospects, down from 90% six months ago, while risk appetite also declined, with just 48% viewing this as a good time to take on greater risk.

At the same time, cost management has emerged as the top internal concern, cited by 52% of respondents, alongside growing worries about supply chain disruption.

Despite these pressures, finance chiefs are not pulling back broadly on investment. Instead, many are reallocating capital—52% report redirecting operating expenses and 46% are shifting capital expenditures—often to fund technology initiatives such as cloud, data analytics and AI.

The result is a more cautious approach: tighter spending and lower risk tolerance paired with continued investment in productivity and innovation. For equipment finance providers, that signals steady demand for financing tied to efficiency gains and technology-enabled assets, even as overall sentiment cools.