ISELIN, N.J., June 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Provident Bank, a leading New Jersey-based financial institution, has released the results of its Mid-Year Business Outlook Survey, taking stock of business owner sentiment as they navigate a nuanced macroeconomic environment dominated by looming tariffs. This year’s survey revealed positivity around the economy, with lingering concerns around the impact of tariffs and businesses making short-term decisions that reflect this uncertainty.
Business owners believe the economy will grow, yet there is mixed sentiment around tariffs.
Overall, business owners believe the economy will grow in the back half of 2025, yet their view of tariffs is less positive. While the full effect of tariffs has yet to be felt, general sentiment is that they aren’t good for the economy.
- Over 60% of businesses believe the economy will grow over the next six months. Yet, there is a clear level of dissatisfaction with the ongoing tariff policies, as over 55% of respondents believe they’re having a negative impact on the United States.
- Over 70% of respondents are “very” to “moderately” concerned about the impact of tariffs on their businesses. However, the impact to date has been minimal, with over 80% of businesses saying there has been “somewhat of an impact” or “none”.
- When looking at tariffs across the board, over 35% said to keep …