Understanding a $30 trillion economy, a chore at any time, is especially complicated as we proceed further into 2025. Uncertainty abounds. The full implications of trade policy remain unclear. It's not known how proposed federal deregulation and tax changes will manifest, nor the extent to which those shifts offset one another or tariff-related cost increases. Geopolitical uncertainties remain relevant. Complexity confronts not just policy makers like me. At nearly every stop in my travels across the Southeast, I poll audiences on who feels confident in their business forecast for the next six months. In recent ... (full story)