Worldwide, 51 percent of poll respondents said a major terrorist attack is somewhat likely during 2010 and an additional 13 percent said it was very likely. Concern was the greatest in the U.S., where 77 percent of investors said an attack is at least somewhat likely, compared with 60 percent in Europe and 50 percent in Asia. Investors surveyed in the U.S. were also more critical of Obama’s anti-terrorism efforts than people in other countries. Almost 6 of 10 U.S. poll respondents said they disapprove of the Democratic Obama administration’s handling of potential terrorist threats. Eight of 10 investors polled, both worldwide and in the U.S., said terrorism concerns haven’t prompted revisions in their investment or trading strategy.
Obama has competition when it comes to negative reviews from U.S. investors. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Larry Summers, chairman of Obama’s National Economic Council, fare worse than Obama with U.S. respondents. Geithner has a 63 percent unfavorable rating and Summers is at 67 percent. Like Obama, both men do better with Asian and European investors. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke is viewed favorably by U.S. investors surveyed with a 68 percent approval rating, which is in line with overseas investors, according to survey results, which are available at www.bloomberg.com.
The Bloomberg Global Poll interviewed a random sample of 873 subscribers to the BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL service, a universe of more than 300,000 decision makers in finance, the markets and economics. It was conducted by Selzer & Company, whose survey of Iowa Caucus voters in 2008 was the only one to accurately predict Barack Obama's victory.
