Do US CEOs Foresee an Economic Recession?

Inflation is frustrating consumers and fueling fears of a potential economic recession for some. How do America's CEOs view the situation?

"Right now, it's kind of sunny, things are doing fine," JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said at a banking conference Tuesday. "Everyone thinks the Fed can handle this. That hurricane is right out there down the road coming our way. We just don't know if it's a minor one or Superstorm Sandy." Last week, Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman put the odds of a recession at under 50%. When asked on Twitter if he predicts a recession, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote, "Yes, but this is actually a good thing. It has been raining money on fools for too long. Some bankruptcies need to happen." 

According to Investopedia, a financial advice and research website, "nearly 60% of surveyed CEOs expect inflation will come down over the next few years. However, they also believe that the Fed’s interest rate hikes will cause a brief recession."

Reports across the spectrum have focused on CEOs' economic predictions and the potential for a recession. Most reports also quoted voices who said a recession could provide a good economic shakeup.  Many reports from the right and some from the center and left framed CEO confidence in the economy as weak, highlighting inflation as a primary reason. Another report from Yahoo News conveyed a different framing, focusing on CEOs who countered Dimon's comments with more optimistic outlooks.