Clashing Company Views Complicate Fed Bid to Sidestep Recession

Companies have been telling divergent stories about the state of the economy, complicating the outlook for the Fed as it tries to cool inflation without triggering recession.

If you listen to Ford, FedEx and GE the economy is bedeviled by supply-chain bottlenecks, soaring costs and softening demand. Ford was the biggest S&P 500 decliner in early trading, sinking about 10%, after warning about inflation and parts shortages.