Confidence surged after the US election, reversing in February

A president usually takes several years to make his mark on the economy, but Trump did it in just a few weeks. Many companies were optimistic about Trump's presidency, with sentiment noticeably rising after the election. However, events that occurred after the inauguration weakened this optimism. The S&P 500 index rose by 5% in the first five trading days after the election and has been consolidating ever since. Preliminary results from a small business survey conducted by Vistage Worldwide show that confidence soared after the US election reversed in February. Wall Street just had its quietest January for merger announcements in a decade. Ethan Karp, CEO of non-profit organization Magnet said, "There is too much chaos. People don't know what will land next. Although tariffs have potential long-term benefits in terms of repatriation, what is happening now is just turmoil." (Wall Street Journal)