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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsTrump China Tariffs Set to Unleash Supply Jolt on US Economy
President Donald Trumps tariff onslaught has roiled Washington and Wall Street for nearly a month. If the trade war persists, the next upheaval will hit much closer to home.
Since the US raised levies on China to 145% in early April, cargo shipments have plummeted, perhaps by as much as 60%, according to one estimate. That drastic reduction in goods from one of the largest US trading partners hasnt been felt by many Americans yet, but thats about to change.
By the middle of May, thousands of companies big and small will be needing to replenish inventories. Giant retailers such as Walmart Inc. and Target Corp. told Trump in a meeting last week that shoppers are likely to see empty shelves and higher prices. Torsten Slok, Apollo Managements chief economist, recently warned of looming Covid-like shortages and significant layoffs in industries spanning trucking, logistics and retail.
While Trump has shown signs in recent days that hes willing to be flexible on the import taxes imposed on China and others, it may be too late to stop a supply shock from reverberating across the US economy that could stretch all the way to Christmas.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/trump-s-china-tariffs-set-to-unleash-supply-shock-on-us-economy/ar-AA1DJn5T

Bluetus
(998 posts)It is already being felt, but people just don't understand this yet.
For example, most PA system (amplifiers, mixers, etc) electronics are manufactured in China now. If you buy any of that product today from a dealer, it undoubtedly was imported before the 145% tariff. But you will almost certainly pay at least 10% more today than if you had bought the same product 2 months ago.
Almost all of these products are managed by brands based outside of China, but they contract the manufacture to Chinese companies. These companies have no short term options to manufacture elsewhere, and even if they did, many of the subcomponents would come from China, and possibly be subject to tariffs.
It is unclear if these products are exempt from the 145% tariff, but Trump has said any exemption is temporary, so the brand company is trying to get as much money as they can, fearing the worst in the months ahead. In other words, preemptive price increases.
It gets worse. I was in the process of buying a PA product that is "Made in Italy". At least the speakers are made entirely in Italy, but amplifier parts probably come from China. EU companies are currently exempt, but in the past month the price of the product I was looking at rose 10%. In other words, The Italian company raised their price because all their direct competition is made in China. So they can charge a higher price even though they are not affected by the 145% tariff on China.
Multiply this by millions of similar transactions. What a complete mess.