Key facts
- Continental CFO Roland Welzbacher said the US needs political stability and a reliable economic framework, calling the result welcome.
- VDMA's Andrew Adair said Congress could try to roll back tariffs, but such legislation faces hurdles and a possible presidential veto.
- Mitsui's Kenichi Hori said he expects the business environment to remain "highly uncertain" and is watching tariffs, critical minerals and AI data centers.
- Fraport CEO Stefan Schulte said less tariff-related friction could help aviation, but said he would not overestimate its significance.
- Annex Wealth Management's Brian Jacobsen said federal funding runs out on December 11 and warned of further shutdowns.
Democrats won control of both the Senate and House of Representatives in the US midterm elections, and executives at global companies said on November 4, 2026 that the result is unlikely to change their near-term outlook. Businesses are contending with higher energy and raw material costs, including costs tied to the Iran war, after last year's US tariffs on imported goods.
Continental CFO Roland Welzbacher said: "What we need as a company in the US is political stability and a reliable economic framework." He added that what the result means for the economy "remains to be seen, but it brings stability, which is good."
Andrew Adair, trade policy adviser for North America at German machinery association VDMA, told Reuters the administration pursued its tariff agenda through executive authorities that do not require congressional approval, and those powers remain in place. Congress could seek to roll back tariffs, but such legislation would face political hurdles and could be vetoed by the president, he said.
Mitsui president and CEO Kenichi Hori told media he will watch US policy on tariffs, critical minerals trade and AI data center build-outs, but expects the business environment to remain "highly uncertain." Fraport CEO Stefan Schulte said less tariff-related friction could help the aviation sector, while cautioning against overestimating the effect.
Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management, warned of gridlock in Washington, saying federal funding runs out on December 11 and that Trump has promised to become "Mr Veto" against a Democratic Congress.