CADE 2025: Companies maintain investment plans despite electoral uncertainty

A few weeks before the end of 2025 and with the general elections on the horizon, the Peruvian business sector shows contradictory signals: moderate optimism regarding investment, but deep concern about citizen security and corruption.

This was revealed by the traditional Ipsos survey presented in CADE Executives 2025which consulted 245 senior executives from the 5,000 most important companies in the country during the second half of October.

Confidence to invest

One of the most relevant findings is that 58% of the companies consulted will maintain their investment plans unchanged, despite the political uncertainty generated by the next electoral process. This figure represents a vote of confidence in the resilience of the Peruvian economy.

“Companies are confident that Peru can continue to grow. That is good news,” said Alfredo Torres, executive president of Ipsos, when presenting the results of the study.

According to the Ipsos survey for CADE 2025, the executives surveyed considered that the country’s GDP growth would be 3.2% in 2026, a moderate figure but higher than the 2.7% in 2024.

Furthermore, the survey shows a recovery in the perception of business progress: the percentage of executives who consider that the country is progressing reached its highest level since 2016, dividing into almost equal three-thirds between those who see progress, stagnation or regression. In parallel, the percentage of businessmen who believe that the country is going backwards fell from 84% to 32%.

The only advances recognized in the last five years are the development of infrastructure and the promotion of private investment. In contrast, areas such as the fight against crime (89% say it has regressed), political stability and the fight against corruption show clear deterioration.

Insecurity as an economic priority

However, the data that marks a turning point in business priorities is overwhelming: for 80% of the executives consulted, the effective fight against insecurity would have the greatest impact on reactivating private investment in the country.

“A few years ago one would not have expected this response,” Torres said. The issue of insecurity has displaced traditional economic policy demands such as reducing procedures or promoting infrastructure.

One of the main conclusions of the Ipsos report maintains that crime and organized crime are the main concern. Fighting insecurity is the main demand to reactivate investment and the most urgent reform that is demanded.

The numbers are alarming: 85% of businessmen mention crime as one of the country’s main problems, when in 2012 this figure was only 49%. Additionally, 40% of companies have increased their security costs, and a worrying 13% have received threats or are being victims of extortion.

Corruption and institutionality

The second major problem identified is corruption, mentioned by 81% of those surveyed, along with the weakening of State institutions.

The survey reveals deep distrust in the country’s key institutions. The Congress of the Republic has barely 3% approval among businessmen, with 94% disapproval. The Judiciary obtains only 5% approval, while the National Police reaches just 13%.

According to a recent Ipsos survey carried out for CADE 2025, it can be seen that the country’s sense of progress has increased among executives, however, citizen insecurity remains one of the main concerns.

“It is certainly very serious that Congress or the Judiciary have so much disapproval in the country,” Torres warned.

In contrast, the Central Reserve Bank maintains solid support with 96% approval, followed by the Superintendency of Banking and Insurance with 69%.

Obstacles to growth

Gonzalo Galdos, president of IPAE Acción Empresarial, highlighted the importance of these results to understand the current business climate. The survey shows that the State institutions themselves have become obstacles to business development.

73% of executives consider that Congress hinders the development of companies, mainly due to the laws approved. A similar perception exists about Sunafil (69%) and the municipalities (59%).

The impact of the elections

The survey also measured the potential impact of the upcoming elections on economic growth. According to businessmen, if authorities with the will and capacity to generate changes are elected, the country could grow 4.8%. But if they are chosen poorly, growth could fall to 1.3%.

On the eve of the 2026 General Elections, the executives surveyed by Ipsos for CADE 2025 also consider the facilitation of private investment and the improvement of citizen security as the priorities that the next government should have.

“A point of growth generates hundreds of thousands of jobs, so it is something very relevant for society as a whole,” Torres emphasized.

The presentation of these results at CADE Executives 2025 confirms that, beyond traditional economic policies, citizen security and institutional strengthening are the issues that today determine the investment climate in Peru.

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