While most predictions have been pessimistic, there are a few industry leaders whose forecast does not depend on localized market conditions. And a few positive notes are starting to be heard.
Fedex predicts the US to grow faster than expected. UPS expects slower growth.
UPS is mostly business to business and retail which might be suffering the impact of the digital transformation. Every CD, Video, file, and mistake is easily downloadable and resolved nowadays with a digital connection.
Caterpillar is the tie breaker. The US's economy is growing. PIMCO sees the US as the most solid and stable market. There is less uncertainty in the US market than in the rest of the world even if the growth is minimal.
At the end, the fight for regulation and accepted accounting practices continues to prove it is absolutely necessary specially when nobody knows whose numbers to believe.
