The number of companies that launched initial public offerings in 2022 fell by nearly half from the blistering pace set a year earlier.

There were 1,671 IPOs launched worldwide in 2022, compared to 3,260 in 2021. The total amount offered in those IPOs in 2022 fell to $179.73 billion, from $626.56 billion in 2021, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. The dismal performances in equities throughout 2022, aggressive rate hikes from central banks and fears of a looming global recession all stymied activity in public markets.

There were 404 IPOs launched globally in the fourth quarter of 2022, about the same number offered in each of the previous two quarters. IPOs totaled $35.70 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022, the lowest amount offered in a quarter since the first quarter of 2019 when 265 IPOs were launched, totaling $18.90 billion.

There were 916 IPOs launched in the fourth quarter of 2021, totaling $150.28 billion.

US slump

U.S. IPO activity slowed to a crawl in the fourth quarter of 2022 after declining for much of the year.

Twenty IPOs launched during the period, totaling $3.02 billion, compared to 234 IPOs in the same quarter a year earlier, totaling $65.44 billion.

There were 149 IPOs launched in the U.S. in 2022, totaling $20.79 billion, compared to 908 IPOs launched in 2021, totaling $282.66 billion.

Eight of the top 10 U.S. IPOs in 2022 were launched in the first half of the year. The two largest were SkyBridge Multi-Adviser Hedge Fund Portfolios LLC's public offering, launched in October, and Corebridge Financial Inc.'s market debut, launched in September.

European IPOs stumble

IPO activity in Europe also plunged, with the fourth quarter of 2022 seeing the fewest number of launches since the second quarter of 2020.

There were 37 IPOs launched in Europe during the fourth quarter of 2022, totaling $1.03 billion, compared to 198 IPOs launched in the same quarter of 2021, totaling $22.21 billion.

In 2022, 215 IPOs launched in Europe, totaling $16.97 billion, compared to 636 launched in 2021, totaling $109.57 billion.