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There’s a ‘meaningful shift’ in CEO confidence since Trump’s election, says Goldman’s Solomon

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David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs, speaks during the Reuters NEXT conference, in New York City, U.S., December 10, 2024. 

Mike Segar | Reuters

The election of Donald Trump in November and a swing back to Republican power in Washington is already starting to make an impact in the business world, according to Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon.

The bank executive said on a conference call Wednesday that other CEOs are feeling better about the direction of the economy and their businesses since the presidential election, even though Trump has yet to take office.

“There has been a meaningful shift in CEO confidence, particularly following the results of the U.S. election,” Solomon said, according to a transcript from FactSet.

“Additionally, there is a significant backlog from sponsors and an overall increased appetite for dealmaking supported by an improving regulatory backdrop,” he continued.

The comments line up with some survey data that suggests renewed confidence among business leaders. The latest Chicago Fed Survey of Economic Conditions showed an improved outlook for the next 12 months. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose to its highest level since October 2018 in December.

To be sure, executives on JPMorgan Chase‘s earnings call said that the optimism among business leaders has not yet resulted in loan growth, according to a FactSet transcript.

Stocks rose sharply in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s win, as investors cheered the prospect of lower taxes and fewer regulations. However, many of those gains have since disappeared, in part due to a recent rise in interest rates.

Trump, who is set to return to the White House on Monday, is seen as broadly more business-friendly than outgoing President Joe Biden. During his campaign, Trump floated lowering taxes and reducing regulation, including around energy. However, his proposed tariffs have made some investors and business leaders nervous about the potential for higher prices and a disruptive trade war.

Solomon’s comments came on a conference call discussing Goldman’s fourth-quarter results. The bank beat estimates on the top and bottom lines for the period, with its profit roughly doubling year over year.

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How buy now, payer later apps could be crushing your credit

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Small, everyday purchases like a meal from DoorDash are now able to be financed through eat now, pay later options — a practice that some experts deem “predatory.”

“You’ve got to have enough sense to not follow the urge to finance a taco, okay? You have got to be an adult,” career coach Ken Coleman told “The Big Money Show,” Wednesday. 

“This is predatory, and it’s going to get a lot of people in deep trouble.”

RISKS OF BUY NOW, PAY LATER: ‘TICKET TO OVERSPENDING,’ EXPERT SAYS

klarna, doordash

DoorDash and Klarna are now partnering up to extend buy now, pay later options to consumers. (Reuters, Getty / Getty Images)

Financial wellness experts are continuously sounding the alarm to cash-strapped consumers, warning them of the devastating impact this financial strategy could have on their credit score as some lenders will begin reporting those loans to credit agencies.

Consumers may risk getting hit with late fees and interest rates, similar to credit cards. 

“So your sandwich might show up on your FICO score, especially if you pay for it late,” FOX Business’ Jackie DeAngelis explained.

EXPERTS WARN HIDDEN RISKS OF BUY NOW, PAY LATER

Major players like Affirm, Afterpay, and Klarna have risen to prominence at a time when Americans continue to grapple with persisting inflation, high interest rates and student loan payments, which resumed in October 2023 after a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The Big Money Show” co-host Taylor Riggs offered a different perspective, suggesting that company CEOs have a “duty” to attract as many customers as they want. 

“Unfortunately for me, this always comes down to financial literacy — which I know is so much in your heart about training people to save now by later,” she told Coleman, who regularly offers financial advice to callers on “The Ramsey Show.”

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Coleman continued to come to the defense of financially “desperate” consumers, arguing that companies are targeting “immature” customers. 

“I’m for American businesses being able to do whatever they want to do under the law. That’s fine. But let’s still call it what it is: it’s predatory, and they know who their customers are,” Coleman concluded, “And I’m telling you, they’re talking about weak-minded, immature, desperate people.”

FOX Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.

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