Sluggish growth and fears of a recession are among the top worries of CEOs in the US and globally in the new year, according to the latest research from The Conference Board. The organization's latest survey reflects the views of nearly 700 CEOs and over 450 other C-suite executives across North America, Latin America, Asia, and Europe.:

More than half of CEOs surveyed worldwide expect a "tepid" year ahead for the economy, with economic growth only returning in late 2023 or mid-2024. That number ticks up significantly in the US, where 60% of CEOs reported similar worries. A recession or economic downturn ranks as the top external concern this year for CEOs in both the US and globally, whereas recession fears came in sixth for both groups in 2022.  Inflation is the #2 fear for US and global CEOs this year but is the seventh top concern for Chinese CEOs.

US chief executives are also increasingly worried about rising borrowing costs. The metric came in #4 on this year's rankings, after clocking in at #25 last year.