Latest news with #ChrisWilliamson
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
I'm tired of how progressives treat boys like mine
A teacher called me a few years ago about my youngest son, who was still in elementary school. She wanted to tell me about an incident in her class. I braced for a bad report. But then she said my son had raised his hand, said something funny and made the class laugh. She scolded him, to no avail. "Is that it?" I said, a bit flummoxed. I encouraged her to maintain order in the classroom as necessary, but also suggested she appreciate his humor and energy, especially as a coping skill. Before this incident, the teacher had insinuated that she thought my son had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and needed medication because he was so active and spirited. I declined. As a mom of two boys, including one who is now 18, I'm tired of seeing teachers, school administrators and society in general treat boys with disdain and even as symbols of toxicity. I've observed all kinds of people struggle with the energy, busyness and spirit of my boys. The war on boys − and men − has gone on for years. And it has discouraged and exhausted them. Now, many young men are moving to the right, politically and culturally. That's because, at least in part, conservatives accept young men for who they are. I thought of my son's school incident again when I saw a clip recently resurface on social media from Chris Williamson's popular "Modern Wisdom" podcast, Williamson asked guest Eric Weinstein, an investor and financial executive, if he had seen the data on teenage boys becoming more politically conservative. Weinstein's reply resonated closely with my own experiences as a mom. "I had a teenage boy. I still have one," Weinstein said. "He's 18 now. And I watched them be pushed farther and farther right by their schools." Weinstein then described the progressive narrative that's targeted loudly and clearly at young men and boys: "'You suck. All of your instincts are bad. These girls are amazing. Look at you. You're pathetic. Be less masculine.'" Weinstein continued: "You're just barking at them constantly. They're not moving right. They're moving out of your stupid way. You've given them, what? Nothing." Weinstein is right that men have shifted rightward politically. In the 2024 election, 56% of men ages 18 to 29 voted for Donald Trump for president. In 2020, Joe Biden won 56% of the votes cast by young men. Opinion: Netflix series 'Adolescence' left me sad and mad as a mother of boys As a mom and a columnist, I agree with Weinstein that men have become more conservative because of a progressive culture that often presents itself as anti-traditional male. Men, and working-class men especially, are often portrayed as stupid, selfish, violent, abusive and bigoted in entertainment, on social media and even in mainstream news media. The message sent and received by millions of hardworking husbands and fathers − and their sons − is that there's something inherently wrong with them because they are males. In the 2024 election, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris did little to appeal to male voters. She surrounded herself with female icons like Beyoncé and Oprah Winfrey, ran on a platform of women's "reproductive rights" and chatted on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, a platform by a woman for women. But she turned down an invitation to appear on Joe Rogan's popular podcast, which has an enormous audience of young men. In contrast, Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance spent hours talking to Rogan in the final days of the hectic campaign season. Opinion: Trump's first 100 days have blown my mind. He's delivering on his promises. Progressives' record of either ignoring young men, stereotyping them as a toxic threat or turning them into weak and infantile caricatures isn't new. In 2013, a progressive outfit called Organizing for America gave us Pajama Boy, a onesie-wearing young man who regaled his family at the holidays on the wonders of Obamacare. As writer Rich Lowry noted, "Never has the difference between what Chris Matthews memorably dubbed the Mommy party and the Daddy party been so stark. Pajama Boy's mom probably still tucks him in at night, and when she isn't there for him, Obamacare will be." Millions of men saw the left's portrayal of the ideal male and said, "That's not me. And I don't want that to be me." Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. The right has its flaws. Trump is no paradigm of male virtue. He has repeatedly mistreated women in his personal life. He also has nominated and hired sharp, talented women like White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. But in Trump, men see the leader of a political and cultural movement that doesn't hate them for being male. I'm sick of how progressives view my boys. Millions of men who voted for Trump apparently feel the same way. Nicole Russell is a columnist at USA TODAY and a mother of four who lives in Texas. Contact her at nrussell@ and follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @russell_nm. Sign up for her weekly newsletter, The Right Track, here. You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Left trashes men endlessly. It's no wonder they chose Trump | Opinion
Al Etihad
23-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
US, Eurozone pull in opposite directions: S&P flash PMI data
23 May 2025 12:40 A. SREENIVASA REDDY (ABU DHABI)The latest flash PMI (Purchasing Managers' Index) data from S&P Global suggests a partial economic rebound in the United States in May 2025, as businesses respond to easing trade tensions. However, the data also reveals intensifying cost pressures, which may cloud the path to recovery. The Eurozone, meanwhile, moved in the opposite direction, with activity slipping back into contraction despite positive trade PMI surveys—early snapshots of economic trends based on responses from a broad sample of businesses—are closely watched for their predictive power on GDP and inflation. For May, the US Flash Composite Output Index rose to 52.1 from 50.6 in April, indicating modest growth. Both the manufacturing and services sectors improved, with the Manufacturing PMI climbing to 52.3—its highest level since June 2022—while the Services Business Activity Index rose to to Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence: 'Business confidence has improved in May from the worrying slump seen in April, thanks largely to the pause on higher rate tariffs.' The US had paused new tariffs in April for 90 days, which appears to have provided businesses temporary orders surged, especially in manufacturing, where demand grew at its fastest pace in 15 months. However, export orders for both goods and services continued to decline, with service exports seeing their sharpest drop since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inventory stockpiling hit record levels, as firms rushed to protect themselves from future tariff-related pressures also surged. May recorded the steepest rise in goods and services prices since August 2022, as tariffs drove up input costs. Manufacturing input prices spiked at their fastest rate since August 2022, and service costs rose at their sharpest since June 2023. 'Prices charged for both goods and services have spiked higher,' Williamson added, warning that 'consumer price inflation [may be] moving sharply higher.'Employment, by contrast, softened. Both manufacturing and services saw job cuts, reflecting uncertainty about future demand and rising costs. This divergence—stronger activity alongside weaker employment—signals caution among to S&P Global's latest macroeconomic analysis, the flash PMI numbers may slightly overstate optimism. The revised estimate of US GDP for Q1 showed a 0.3% annualised contraction, and although May PMI signals some recovery, overall growth remains subdued. Analysts now estimate second-quarter GDP growth at just 1%—well below trend.'While there is a rebound from April's lows, the economy is still operating below capacity,' the S&P Global Intelligence team wrote. Concerns about prolonged inflation may keep the US Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates until December, despite earlier market hopes of a mid-year picture in the Eurozone was less encouraging. The HCOB Flash Eurozone Composite PMI Output Index fell to 49.5 in May from 50.4 in April—marking a six-month low and the first contraction in output in five months. The services sector drove the decline, with activity dropping at its fastest rate in over a output was stable, but overall demand remained on the figures, Dr. Cyrus de la Rubia, Chief Economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, said: 'The eurozone economy just cannot seem to find its footing. Do not blame US tariffs for this one.' He suggested that any benefit from pre-tariff purchasing was limited to manufacturing, while services continued to suffer from sluggish domestic among eurozone businesses slipped to a 19-month low, driven by weakening sentiment in the services sector. While manufacturing optimism ticked up, it was not enough to offset broader contrast between the US and Eurozone highlights an uneven global recovery. While the US showed signs of a short-term rebound, it came at the cost of higher prices and with little improvement in exports. In Europe, subdued domestic demand and softening confidence suggest that structural issues—not just trade frictions—may be to blame for weak the clock ticks toward the July expiry of the US's tariff pause, businesses globally remain wary. The flash PMI reports offer a mixed message: while there is a glimmer of recovery in the US, it is fragile and inflation-laced. Europe, meanwhile, appears stuck, struggling to convert trade opportunities into broader key data releases expected in the coming week—including updated US GDP, core PCE inflation, and the FOMC meeting minutes—markets will be watching closely for signs of how central banks intend to respond to this complex landscape. For now, the PMI signals serve as both a relief and a warning.S&P Global releases its Flash Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data to provide early, timely insights into economic conditions across the manufacturing and service sectors. These flash estimates are based on approximately 85% of total monthly survey responses and are published ahead of the final PMI data, offering an advance indication of the economic trends. Flash PMI data is published for selected major economies where early, high-quality data collection is feasible and economically significant.
Business Insider
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Stock Market News Review: SPY Inches Lower as Trump's Focus Turns to Megabill from Trade Deals
The S&P 500 (SPX) tumbled back and forth between positive and negative territory during the Thursday trading session before closing the day slightly in the red. Confident Investing Starts Here: Before the market open, the House voted to pass President Trump's 'one, big, beautiful bill,' which, among other measures, seeks to extend Trump's 2017 cuts. It also includes a provision to provide newborns with a $1,000 investment account funded by the government and raising the state and local tax (SALT) deduction to $40,000 from $10,000 with a limit for high-earners. Next, the S&P Global Flash U.S. composite purchasing managers' index (PMI) increased to 52.1, a 1.5 boost from April's reading of 50.6. A number above 50 signals business growth while a number below 50 implies contraction. At the same time, S&P Global Market Intelligence chief business economist Chris Williamson warned that some of the growth is attributed to companies front-running business activity before the U.S.-China tariff reduction pause expires. On the same topic, Trump still hasn't spoken with China President Xi since the two nations agreed to temporarily reduce tariffs earlier this month, according to CNN's Alayna Treene. That comes after China urged the U.S. to 'correct its wrongdoings' in response to the Washington's restrictions on Huawei's Ascend chips. Finally, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Trump will attend the Group of Seven (G7) leaders' conference in Canada next month. It's more than likely that Trump will have trade conversations with Canada, as well as other countries in attendance, as the U.S. 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs ends in early July.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. output grows following tariff détente with China: S&P Global survey
This story was originally published on CFO Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CFO Dive newsletter. U.S. output grew this month following an agreement with China for a 90-day reprieve on tariffs exceeding 100%, S&P Global found in a survey, while noting that remaining import levies triggered a surge in prices. Although improving, both business activity and expectations for output remained subdued because of concern that tariffs will slow demand, disrupt supply chains and further push up prices, S&P Global said Thursday, describing results of the May 12 to May 21 survey. Prices for goods and services rose more than in any month since August 2022. 'Business confidence has improved in May from the worrying slump seen in April, with gloom about prospects for the year ahead lifting somewhat thanks largely to the pause on higher rate tariffs,' Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global, said in a statement. Yet 'at least some of the upturn in May can be linked to companies and their customers seeking to front-run further possible tariff-related issues.' Any recovery in U.S. output this month may prove short lived given that 10% baseline tariffs still stand and there is no guarantee that the U.S. and China will forgo an intensified trade war when the reprieve on high tariffs expires on Aug. 12, according to economists. 'The near-term outlook is more constructive, but risks remain tilted to the downside,' EY-Parthenon Chief Economist Gregory Daco said Thursday in a client report. 'The economy is set to grow below trend this year as higher tariffs, weaker labor market momentum and lingering policy uncertainty lead to a wait-and-see approach,' he said. The economy will probably slow to 'stall speed' by the fourth quarter, Daco said. He forecasts 1.3% gross domestic product growth in both 2025 and 2026 and puts the risk of recession in the next 12 months at 35%, down from his prior estimate of 45%. The labor market will likely weaken this year, with unemployment rising to 5% from 4.2% in April and average monthly job growth falling to 70,000 on average from 160,000 last year, Daco said. 'A trifecta of headwinds — rising tariffs and policy uncertainty, federal job cuts and tighter immigration — poses a downside risk to the labor market,' he said. Initial claims for unemployment insurance edged down to 227,000 during the week ending May 17 from 229,000 the prior week, the Labor Department said Thursday, in a sign that employers are holding payrolls steady following the U.S.-China tariff reprieve. Employment has fallen slightly this month after gains in April and March, 'primarily reflecting concerns over future demand prospects but also in response to worries over rising costs and labor shortages,' S&P Global said, reporting on its Flash US PMI Composite Output Index.
Glasgow Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Downturn across UK firms stretches into May despite tariffs respite
The S&P Global flash UK composite purchasing managers' index (PMI) reported a reading of 49.4 in May, up from 48.5 in April. The flash figures are based on preliminary data. Any score above 50.0 indicates activity is growing while any score below means it is contracting. The latest reading was marginally stronger than expected, with a consensus of analysts having predicted a reading of 49.3 for the month. While the UK's largest sector, services, returned to growth, the manufacturing sector fell at the fastest rate since October 2023. Comments from the PMI survey respondents suggested there were fewer concerns than April about US trade tariffs, but manufacturers said the heightened levels of uncertainty had still hit business confidence. It comes after the UK struck a deal with the US earlier this month to slash tariffs on sectors including steel and automotive manufacturers. Nonetheless, manufacturers reported the fastest pace of job cuts for five years, as the impact of rising employer taxes continued to affect companies after the policy came in at the start of April. Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said of Thursday's economic survey data: 'After an 'awful April', businesses reported a milder May. 'Sunny weather also provided a welcome boost to business activity in some parts of the economy. 'However, output still fell slightly when measured across all goods and services for a second successive month, hinting at the possibility of the economy contracting in the second quarter. 'Furthermore, although brighter news on tariffs and trade appears to have helped restore some confidence among businesses, sentiment about prospects in the year ahead is still subdued. 'Job cutting consequently remains worryingly aggressive, especially in manufacturing, as concerns about weak demand have been exacerbated by the rise in staff costs linked to the national insurance and minimum wage changes that came into effect in April.'
