Fed/Duke Survey: CFO Optimism Drops on Tariffs (Connecting the Dots: Duke University, Conference Board, Federal Reserve, Obamacare, Committee for Economic Development, The Commercial Club of Chicago & Soros Funding, All Networking)
Newsmax.com
Wednesday,
26 March 2025 10:57 AM EDT
https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streettalk/cfo-survey-tariffs/2025/03/26/id/1204405/
Optimism
among company chief financial officers dropped in the first quarter as tariff
risks and uncertainty began to cloud an outlook among business executives that
had been buoyed by President Donald Trump's election victory, according to a
survey by two Federal Reserve banks
and Duke University.
On a
scale of 0 to 100, average optimism among around 400 CFOs — key players in the
corporate spending, investment and pricing decisions that can influence the
direction of the economy — fell from a pandemic-era high 66 at the end of last
year to 62.1 in the current quarter.
The
index fell as low as 50.5 during a pandemic surge of inflation, but had risen
to around 60 before jumping 6 points following Trump's election. Only one
sector, construction, showed rising optimism since then, from 66.6 to 68.
Optimism
among CFOs in manufacturing, the sector Trump has said he will help by taxing
imports, fell from 66.6 to 61.6. The drop seemed tied to rising concerns about
the uncertain impact of tariffs and Trump's efforts to rewire global trade. The
CFOs now anticipate slower growth and higher prices than they did at the end of
last year.
“Uncertainty
and trade policy were clearly on the minds of CFOs,” said Sonya Ravindranath
Waddell, vice president and economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of
Richmond.
“Not
only did almost one-third of respondents report concerns about tariffs, but
those respondents had notably lower optimism, lower expectations for GDP
growth, lower expectations for revenue and employment growth, and higher
expectations for price growth in 2025.”
The CFO
survey tracks a recent drop in a Conference Board survey of consumer sentiment, which
fell in March to a four-year low with households fearing both recession and
higher inflation.
Connecting
the Dots:
Jack O. Bovender
Jr. is a trustee at Duke University and was a trustee at
the Committee for Economic Development.
James L. Vincent was
a trustee at Duke University and a trustee at the Committee
for Economic Development.
Tallman Trask
III was an EVP for Duke University and is a trustee at
the Committee for Economic Development.
Carl T. Camden is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director,
Detroit branch for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Jeffrey A. Joerres is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director
at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
James E. Rohr is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development a member of
the Federal Advisory Council to the Federal Reserve Board and was a
director – Cleveland for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Lee C. Bollinger is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and was the
chairman for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
William J.
McDonough is a trustee at the Committee for Economic
Development and was the president & CEO for the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York.
Peter G. Peterson is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and was the
chairman for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
John E. Sexton is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, was the
chairman for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the chair
Council of Chairs for the Federal Reserve System.
Roger W.
Ferguson Jr. is a co-chairman for the Committee for Economic
Development and was the vice chairman for the Federal Reserve Board.
Barbara B. Grogan is a trustee at the Committee for Economic
Development and was the chair - Denver branch for the Federal
Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee
for Economic Development.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society.
George S. Barrett is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a vice
chairman for the Conference Board.
Alan M. Dachs is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a chairman
emeritus for the Conference Board.
Edward B. Rust Jr. is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a trustee
at the Conference Board.
Samuel A.
DiPiazza Jr. is a trustee at the Conference Board and a
trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.
Ronald A. Williams is
a vice chairman for the Conference Board and a trustee at the Committee
for Economic Development.
Roger W.
Ferguson Jr. is a chairman for the Conference Board and a
trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.
Donna S. Morea was
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and an EVP for
the CGI Group Inc.
Michael E. Roach is
a director & former president & CEO for the CGI Group Inc.
and was trustee at the Conference Board.
CGI Group Inc. was
the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov
web site.
Obamacare is Barack
Obama’s signature policy initiative.
Barack Obama’s
signature policy initiative is Obamacare and was an intern at Sidley
Austin LLP.
Michelle Obama was
a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.
Newton N. Minow is
a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and a member of the Commercial
Club of Chicago.
R. Eden Martin is
counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and the president of the Commercial
Club of Chicago.
Gregory Q. Brown is
a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and a director at
the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Charles L. Evans
is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the president
& CEO for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
William C. Foote is
a director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and a member
of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Terry Mazany is
a director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and a member
of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Frederick H.
Waddell is a director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and
a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Anthony K.
Anderson was a director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and
is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
John A. Canning
Jr. was the chairman for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and
is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Silas Keehn was
the president for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and is a
member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Michael H. Moskow was
the president & CEO for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and
is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Thomas J. Wilson was
a director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and is a
member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Valerie B. Jarrett was
a board member for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is a member
of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the senior adviser for
the Barack Obama administration.
Betsy D. Holden is
a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and a trustee at Duke
University.
Charles K.
Bobrinskoy is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was
a library board member for Duke University.
Mellody L. Hobson is
a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the chairman
for DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.
Karl M. von
der Heyden was a director at DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.
and a trustee at Duke University.
David M.
Rubenstein is a trustee at Duke University, a benefactor
at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and spent Thanksgiving with
Joe Biden.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society.
Lester Crown was
a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and is a
member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
James S.
Crown is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago,
married to Paula Hannaway Crown and a trustee at the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
Paula Hannaway
Crown is married to James S. Crown and a trustee at Duke
University.
Henry Louis
Gates Jr. was a professor at Duke University and is a
trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Robert K. Steel was
the chairman for Duke University and the chairman for the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
David Gergen is
a trustee at Duke University and a trustee at the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
Robert K. Steel was
the chairman for Duke University and the chairman for the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen
Institute (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation
to Promote Open Society.
David M.
Rubenstein was a benefactor at the Aspen Institute (think
tank), spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden, is a co-chairman for
the Brookings Institution (think tank), a trustee at Duke
University, the president of the Economic Club of Washington and
a co-founder & co-CEO for the Carlyle Group.
Vernon E. Jordan
Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think
tank), Valerie B. Jarrett’s great uncle and was the
president of the Economic Club of Washington.
Edward J. Mathias is
a director at the Economic Club of Washington and a managing
director at the Carlyle Group.
Jerome H. Powell (Jay) was
a partner at the Carlyle Group and is the Chairman for
the Federal Reserve System.
Jerome H. Powell (Jay) was
a partner at the Carlyle Group and is the Chairman for
the Federal Reserve System.
Federal
Reserve Bank of Chicago is a bank in the Federal Reserve
System.
Paul A. Volcker was
the chairman for the Federal Reserve System, a lifetime trustee at
the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the president for
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to
Promote Open Society.
Paul F. Anderson is
a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was a senior
partner at Booz Allen Hamilton.
Booz Allen
Hamilton is a contractor for Obamacare.
Lloyd Howell Jr. is
the EVP for Booz Allen Hamilton and a trustee at the Committee
for Economic Development.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee
for Economic Development.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society.
Jack O. Bovender
Jr. was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development
and is a trustee at Duke University.
James L. Vincent was
a trustee at Duke University and a trustee at the Committee
for Economic Development.
Tallman Trask
III was an EVP for Duke University and is a trustee at
the Committee for Economic Development.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee
for Economic Development.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to
Promote Open Society.
Carl T. Camden is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director,
Detroit branch for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Jeffrey A. Joerres is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director
at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
James E. Rohr is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development a member of
the Federal Advisory Council to the Federal Reserve Board and was a
director – Cleveland for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
Lee C. Bollinger is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and was the
chairman for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
William J.
McDonough is a trustee at the Committee for Economic
Development and was the president & CEO for the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York.
Peter G. Peterson is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and was the
chairman for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
John E. Sexton is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, was the
chairman for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the chair
Council of Chairs for the Federal Reserve System.
Roger W.
Ferguson Jr. is a co-chairman for the Committee for Economic
Development and was the vice chairman for the Federal Reserve Board.
Barbara B. Grogan is a trustee at the Committee for Economic
Development and was the chair - Denver branch for the Federal
Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee
for Economic Development.
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society.
George S. Barrett is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a vice
chairman for the Conference Board.
Alan M. Dachs is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a chairman
emeritus for the Conference Board.
Edward B. Rust Jr. is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a trustee
at the Conference Board.
Samuel A.
DiPiazza Jr. is a trustee at the Conference Board and a
trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.
Ronald A. Williams is
a vice chairman for the Conference Board and a trustee at the Committee
for Economic Development.
Roger W.
Ferguson Jr. is a chairman for the Conference Board and a
trustee at the Committee for Economic Development.
Donna S. Morea was
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, and an EVP for
the CGI Group Inc.
Michael E. Roach is
a director & former president & CEO for the CGI Group Inc.
and was trustee at the Conference Board.
CGI Group Inc. was
the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov
web site.
Obamacare is Barack
Obama’s signature policy initiative.
Barack Obama’s
signature policy initiative is Obamacare and was an intern at Sidley
Austin LLP.
Cameron F. Kerry is
a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, John F. Kerry’s brother
and a fellow at the Brookings Institution
(think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to
Promote Open Society.
Donald L. Kohn is
a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), was the
vice chairman for the Federal Reserve Board and a member of
the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC).
Alice M. Rivlin is
a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
was the vice chair for the Federal Reserve Board.
Richard C. Blum is
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank),
married to Senator Dianne Feinstein and an Economic Advisory
Council member for the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
Louis W. Cabot is
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
was a director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
Susan M. Collins is
a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
a director, Detroit branch for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Glenn H. Hutchins is
a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a
director at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
John C. Whitehead is
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
was the chairman for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Ben S. Bernanke is
a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
was a chairman for the Federal Reserve Board.
Lael Brainard was
a VP & director for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
is a member of the Federal Reserve Board.
Karen Dynan was
a VP for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior
adviser for the Federal Reserve Board.
Douglas W.
Elmendorf was a senior fellow at the Brookings
Institution (think tank) and an assistant director, Research and
Statistics for the Federal Reserve Board.
Donald L. Kohn is
a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and
was a vice chairman for the Federal Reserve Board.
Resources:
Past Research
Miss
USA Walks Back Health Care Position after Leftist Outrage (Past Research on the Conference Board)
Wednesday,
May 17, 2017
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/05/miss-usa-walks-back-health-care.html
100
Years of Government Theft (Past Research on the Federal
Reserve)
Monday,
December 23, 2013
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/12/100-years-of-government-theft.html
Muslim
Call to Prayer to be Chanted Every Friday at Duke University (Past Research on Duke University)
Sunday,
January 18, 2015
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2015/01/muslim-call-to-prayer-to-be-chanted.html
Fed's
Goolsbee Sees Lower Interest Rates in a Year (Connecting the Dots: Austan D.
Goolsbee, Center for American Progress, The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago,
The Federal Reserve System, The Commercial Club of Chicago, Jerome H. Powell
(Jay), The Carlyle Group, The Economic Club of Washington & Soros Funding,
All Networking) (Past Research on The Carlyle Group)
Saturday,
March 29, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/03/feds-goolsbee-sees-lower-interest-rates.html
Hours
After John Kerry Demands Green Transition Accelerated – His Emissions Closet
Swings Wide Open (Connecting the Dots: Cameron Kerry, John Kerry, Teresa Heinz
Kerry, Soros, the Climate Reality Project, the Brookings Institution (think
tank), the EPA and onto the FDA, Pfizer & Johnson & Johnson. It’s the
Network That Never Ends. One Project (Climate Change) Just bleeds into the Next
(Covid Project)) (Past Research on Cameron Kerry)
Thursday,
July 21, 2022
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/07/hours-after-john-kerry-demands-green.html
Powell
Would Not Resign as Fed Chief If Asked by Trump (Connecting the Dot: Jerome
Powell, Federal Reserve, the Carlyle Group, the Bretton Woods Committee, Janet
Yellen, the U.S. Department of the Treasury & Soros Funding, All
Networking) (Past Research on the Federal Reserve
Board)
Thursday,
November 7, 2024
