Economists and business leaders have been warning for months that President Trump’s trade war could damage the economy. The American public increasingly shares those concerns. Consumers have been a bulwark of support for the economy, remaining confident even as hiring has slowed, the manufacturing sector has slumped and financial markets […] Read more »
Trump approval drops by 6 points, majority say recession likely
Six in 10 Americans say a recession is likely in the next year and as many are concerned about higher prices because of the trade war with China, helping to knock 6 points off President Donald Trump’s job approval rating in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll. … The president’s […] Read more »
Rejecting Retreat: Americans Support US Engagement in Global Affairs
The upending of US foreign policy under the Trump administration, the revolt against establishment politicians, and the rise of the progressive wing in US politics has led many foreign policy experts to conclude that Americans want to retreat from the world. Much of Washington and its foreign policy elite believe […] Read more »
Trump Job Approval Hits 7-Month Low As China Trade War Escalates: IBD/TIPP Poll
President Donald Trump’s job approval rating fell to 39% in the September IBD/TIPP Poll, matching February’s reading for the lowest in a year. The erosion in the Trump approval rating comes as Americans registered greater disapproval of the escalating China trade war. The public still gives Trump’s handling of the […] Read more »
Ag barometer declines sharply as commodity prices weaken
After rising sharply two months in a row, the Ag Economy Barometer weakened significantly in August falling back to a reading of 124, down 29 points compared to a month earlier and just slightly below the June reading of 126. The barometer’s decline was attributable to declines in both the […] Read more »
U-M Surveys of Consumers: Tariffs weaken confidence
The Consumer Sentiment Index posted its largest monthly decline in August 2019 (-8.6 points) since December 2012 (-9.8 points), according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The 2012 plunge reflected widespread fears among consumers that they would be pushed off the “fiscal cliff” due to rising taxes and […] Read more »