As U.S. stocks plummet  Trump goes silent on role in markets
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - As U.S. stocks plunged on Monday   President Donald Trump  was speaking at an event in Ohio but noticeably not taking credit for the market despite doing so repeatedly when stocks were rising.
The stark contrast was a sign that  Trump  may be absorbing a tough message  underscored by former White House advisers  that American presidents traditionally have avoided commenting directly on Wall Street’s fickle trends.
Gene Sperling  a top economic adviser to Democratic former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama  said  Trump  erred in recent months by focusing so heavily on the stock market.
White House spokesman Raj Shah  in an adjustment to the administration’s message on stocks  told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to  Trump’s  speaking event in Ohio  “Look  markets do fluctuate in the short term. We all know that ... But the fundamentals of this economy are very strong and they’re headed in the right direction.”
(See the interactive graphic " Trump  takes credit for stock market records" here: tmsnrt.rs/2E4FmaQ )
Throughout a speech at a factory in  Blue Ash  Ohio  Trump  made no mention of stock markets. That departed sharply from past practice.
In his State of the Union address last week   Trump  said  “The stock market has smashed one record after another  gaining $8 trillion and more in value in just this short period of time.”
“If the Democrats won the election  the stock market would have gone down 50 percent from where it was  and now look at the percentage increase. It’s a record increase ”  Trump  said.
Once the markets closed  the White House issued a statement saying  Trump ’s focus is “on our long-term economic fundamentals  which remain exceptionally strong  with strengthening U.S. economic growth  historically low unemployment  and increasing wages for American workers.”
The benchmark Dow Jones industrial average soared 42 percent between Election Day 2016  when  Trump  won the presidency  and  its  historic peak a week ago above 26 400.
The “ Trump  rally ” as some traders have dubbed it  has coincided with a sweeping tax code overhaul approved in December  which slashed corporate taxes  and a deregulation push.
The S&P 500 rose 34 percent from  Trump’s  election to  its  recent high.
 Trump  has also criticized  his  predecessor Obama’s effect on markets. In November 2012   Trump  tweeted  “The stock market and U.S. dollar are both plunging today. Welcome to @BarackObama’s second term.”
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - As U.S. stocks plunged on Monday   President Donald Trump  was speaking at an event in Ohio but noticeably not taking credit for the market despite doing so repeatedly when stocks were rising.
The stark contrast was a sign that  [TGT]may be absorbing a tough message  underscored by former White House advisers  that American presidents traditionally have avoided commenting directly on Wall Street’s fickle trends.
Gene Sperling  a top economic adviser to Democratic former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama  said  [TGT]erred in recent months by focusing so heavily on the stock market.
White House spokesman Raj Shah  in an adjustment to the administration’s message on stocks  told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to  Trump’s  speaking event in Ohio  “Look  markets do fluctuate in the short term. We all know that ... But the fundamentals of this economy are very strong and they’re headed in the right direction.”
(See the interactive graphic " [TGT]takes credit for stock market records" here: tmsnrt.rs/2E4FmaQ )
Throughout a speech at a factory in  Blue Ash  Ohio  [TGT]  made no mention of stock markets. That departed sharply from past practice.
In [TGT] State of the Union address last week   [TGT]said  “The stock market has smashed one record after another  gaining $8 trillion and more in value in just this short period of time.”
“If the Democrats won the election  the stock market would have gone down 50 percent from where it was  and now look at the percentage increase. It’s a record increase ”  [TGT]said.
Once the markets closed  the White House issued a statement saying  Trump ’s focus is “on our long-term economic fundamentals  which remain exceptionally strong  with strengthening U.S. economic growth  historically low unemployment  and increasing wages for American workers.”
The benchmark Dow Jones industrial average soared 42 percent between Election Day 2016  when  [TGT]  won the presidency  and  [TGT]  historic peak a week ago above 26 400.
[TGT]rally ” as some traders have dubbed [TGT]  has coincided with a sweeping tax code overhaul approved in December  which slashed corporate taxes  and a deregulation push.
The S&P 500 rose 34 percent from  Trump’s  election to  its  recent high.
 [TGT]has also criticized  [TGT]  predecessor Obama’s effect on markets. In November 2012   [TGT]  tweeted  “The stock market and U.S. dollar are both plunging today. Welcome to @BarackObama’s second term.”