Trump's protectionist policies top risk to U.S. economy in 2017: Reuters poll

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters


Wed Jan 18, 2017 | 8:53am EST

By Anu Bararia and Sumanta Dey

The top risk to U.S. growth would come if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump keeps his protectionist promises, according to a Reuters poll that shows economists have not joined in the market exuberance since the shock November vote.

For most of his campaign and after the election, Trump vowed to make sweeping changes to U.S. trade and immigration policy, threatened to impose steep tariffs on Chinese imports and proposed hefty tax cuts.

While financial markets have retreated in the past week and hopes of a sudden spurt in inflation have faded, U.S. 10-year Treasury yields are still up more than 25 percent since Election Day, and stocks have hit record highs.

Still, more than two-thirds of the 70 respondents to the question in the Reuters survey taken over the past week said Trump's protectionist policies were the biggest threat to the world's largest economy this year.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-economy-poll-idUSKBN1521OL

[cstanleytech]

1. You know what is sad? A Republican majority Congress is our only hope to stop the imbecile

and that's a slim hope at best as they are far more likely to rubber stamp most of what he wants.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Spending is tepid

at least in the stores and on my eBay

Yet quite a massive increase in help wanted ads this week

Could be employers' expectations are a bit optimistic

as people plan for a dismal future of hunkering down until the
political uncertainty fades or is ejected from office