Another round of proposed tariffs, another market meltdown. That seemed to be the theme of the day...and the week. On Friday, the Dow Industrials, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq all fell by more than two percent, capping off another down week. The latest declines came on the heels of President Trump saying he’s considering tariffs on an additional $100 billion worth of Chinese goods as a response to that country’s “unfair retaliation” to his initial tax proposal. Comments from Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin acknowledging the possibility of a trade war suggested that, this time, there may be real consequences to Trump’s proposal. “This runs the risk of overplaying his hand,” said Clayton Allen, Vice President, Special Situations at Height Capital Management. “This is a fear that’s possibly driven more by the concept of the worst possible outcome rather than by the realistic expectation of where this goes over the next three months.” Another factor that pressured markets was the March jobs report, which showed the U.S. economy far fewer jobs last month than expected. And if a trade war between the U.S. and China were to escalate, more jobs could be on the line, said Allen. “Companies in the U.S. that...build things out of components shipped from China would...have a less competitive advantage if the price of those shipments goes up.”

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US businesses that rely on Chinese imports express relief and anxiety
American businesses that rely on Chinese goods are reacting with muted relief after the U.S. and China agreed to pause their exorbitant tariffs on each other’s products for 90 days. Many companies delayed or canceled orders after President Donald Trump last month put a 145% tariff on items made in China. Importers still face relatively high tariffs, however, as well as uncertainty over what will happen in the coming weeks and months. The temporary truce was announced as retailers and their suppliers are looking to finalize their plans and orders for the holiday shopping season. They’re concerned a mad scramble to get goods onto ships will lead to bottlenecks and increased shipping costs.
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