Uncertainty Top of Mind for CEOs in 2026

The Conference Board's C-Suite Outlook, based on 1,732 executives including 771 CEOs, finds uncertainty has become a structural rather than episodic feature of the operating environment, cited by 42.9% of US CEOs as the greatest external negative factor. It signals that decision-making must assume permanent volatility. For boards, it reframes scenario planning and stress-testing as continuous disciplines rather than annual exercises.