For all his threats, Trump is seen by businesses as key ally

...The prospect of a stronger economy and richer profits is appealing enough that most businesses -- and stock investors -- are downplaying the uncertainties that followed Trump's presidential victory last month. The Dow Jones industrial average has rocketed 8 per cent to a record high since Election Day on expectations of faster economic growth.

Many manufacturers, which have been reeling for years from shrinking demand for their goods, say they view Trump as more sympathetic to their interests than President Barack Obama was.

"When he uses the phone, he does it to tell manufacturers that he supports them and wants them to create jobs in the United States," said Jay Timmons, president of the National Association of Manufacturers. "That is a far cry from what we hear in the current administration."...