Tariffs

[MT]

Old school Reagan explains and predicts the cumming of zio Trump and his tariffs 43 years ago. 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0dULipMNa3s?feature=share

[zapta]

One point that were not mentioned much in the media is that in addition to the tarrif, the Trump Administration also canceled the 'de minimis' for China only. This is a $800 waiver for personal imports. That change alone should impact all the small retailers at Aliexpress, Temu and the likes, even if the tarrif will get canceled.

[zapta]

My favourite are the tariffs on Heard Island and McDonald island

https://www.npr.org/2025/04/03/nx-s1-5350897/trump-tariffs-heard-mcdonald-remote-islands

If I recall correctly, that's an Australian territory.

[TimFox]

My favourite are the tariffs on Heard Island and McDonald island

https://www.npr.org/2025/04/03/nx-s1-5350897/trump-tariffs-heard-mcdonald-remote-islands

If I recall correctly, that's an Australian territory.

Also, St Pierre et Miquelon is French territory, with French-speaking inhabitants.

[Gyro]

I see the tariff on China has reached 145%. He forgot to add in the existing 20% yesterday - it's so hard to keep track.

In other news, egg prices have hit a record $6.23 per dozen. Now that is an awkward issue! 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cn4jjw30d5qt

[themadhippy]

In other news, egg prices have hit a record $6.23 per dozen.

Guess they'll have to find something else to throw at politicians ,how much are bricks?

[Monkeh]

In other news, egg prices have hit a record $6.23 per dozen.

Guess they'll have to find something else to throw at politicians ,how much are bricks?

They have to import good ones from us, so very expensive.

[bte]

Basic consumer staples are not exorbitant here compared to anywhere in the world that I've been, the current egg crisis notwithstanding.

We are helping as best as we can to alleviate that... 

Local markets are running out of eggs frequently. Anything that we can find is double or triple the price. I heard that many producers are exporting their goods, and US is one primary buyer.

[asmi]

Guess they'll have to find something else to throw at politicians ,how much are bricks?

Some cultures prefer using rotten tomatos for that purpose, because they typically get a lot of them after harvest, and there isn't a whole lot else you can do with them anyway

[TimFox]

Guess they'll have to find something else to throw at politicians ,how much are bricks?

Some cultures prefer using rotten tomatos for that purpose, because they typically get a lot of them after harvest, and there isn't a whole lot else you can do with them anyway

According to Mark Twain, citizens of Arkansas would add dead cats to the ammunition.

[vk6zgo]

My favourite are the tariffs on Heard Island and McDonald island

https://www.npr.org/2025/04/03/nx-s1-5350897/trump-tariffs-heard-mcdonald-remote-islands

If I recall correctly, that's an Australian territory.

Also, St Pierre et Miquelon is French territory, with French-speaking inhabitants.

The only inhabitants of Heard or the McDonalds speak Penguin, Seal, or seabird.
I'd be interested if there were tariffs placed upon Puerto Rico, as POTUS 45 seemed to have been unaware that it was part of the USA

[Analog Kid]

I'd be interested if there were tariffs placed upon Puerto Rico, as POTUS 45 seemed to have been unaware that it was part of the USA

It's only kinda sorta part of the US: it's a "territory" (AKA a "possession"), but even though the inhabitants are US citizens, they have no (federal) voting rights.
In some ways, the worst of all worlds for them.

[TimFox]

I'd be interested if there were tariffs placed upon Puerto Rico, as POTUS 45 seemed to have been unaware that it was part of the USA

It's only kinda sorta part of the US: it's a "territory" (AKA a "possession"), but even though the inhabitants are US citizens, they have no (federal) voting rights.
In some ways, the worst of all worlds for them.

Puerto Rico is an "unincorporated territory", while Alaska and Hawaii (before statehood) were "incorporated territories" of the United States:  a complicated legal issue.
I would not be surprised if someone in power did not understand that, by negligent ignorance, and did something illegal.
Apparently, last month a group of Puerto Ricans started a lobbying effort to get the President to grant independence by executive order (or, decree as I call it), but I think it unlikely.

[tom66]

Excellent articles from Nate Silver (former FiveThirtyEight statistician & writer) on the tariff situation. These are free, you don't need his subscription.

https://www.natesilver.net/p/wall-street-thinks-trumps-tariffs
https://www.natesilver.net/p/we-shouldnt-rely-on-markets-to-tame

Warning: light politics, but unavoidable really. 

[Analog Kid]

What I'd like to know is, how could one possibly discuss tariffs without involving politics?
It's totally unavoidable. it's not just a matter of economics.
I think the restriction here is somewhat absurd; I can see doing something if discussions veer totally into the weeds (which doesn't seem to have happened here, yet).
But to discuss The Tariffs, since they're being imposed by You Know Who, we necessarily have to venture into ... Politics.

[MT]

What I'd like to know is, how could one possibly discuss tariffs without involving politics?

On EEVBlog its known as an "form of art".

[johnboxall]

One point that were not mentioned much in the media is that in addition to the tarrif, the Trump Administration also canceled the 'de minimis' for China only. This is a $800 waiver for personal imports. That change alone should impact all the small retailers at Aliexpress, Temu and the likes, even if the tarrif will get canceled.

It will affect literally tens of thousands of Chinese businesses. All that cheap stuff people love buying from aliexpress, temu, shein, taobao, ebay, etc., is all supposed to be stopped until the receiver pays their fee and charges.

From https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/further-amendment-to-duties-addressing-the-synthetic-opioid-supply-chain-in-the-peoples-republic-of-china-as-applied-to-low-value-imports/

(c)  Duty Rates.  Transportation carriers delivering shipments to the United States from the PRC or Hong Kong sent through the international postal network must collect and remit duties to CBP under the approach outlined in either subsection (c)(i) or subsection (c)(ii) of this section.  Transportation carriers must apply the same duty collection methodology to all shipments; however, transportation carriers may change their collection methodology once a month or on such other periodic timeframe as CBP determines appropriate, upon providing 24-hour notice to CBP.

(i)   Ad Valorem Duty.  30 percent of the value of the postal item containing goods for merchandise entered for consumption on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on May 2, 2025.

(ii)  Specific Duty.  25 dollars per postal item containing goods for merchandise entered for consumption on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on May 2, 2025, and before 12:01 am eastern daylight time on June 1, 2025, and 50 dollars per postal item containing goods for merchandise entered for consumption on or after 12:01 am eastern daylight time on June 1, 2025.

What I can't work out is which of Ad Valorem or specific duty applies. As for the end customers - I can see people grudgingly paying 30%... e.g. $10 of bits from Aliexpress is now $13 and some more time ...OK. But buying a couple of OLEDs for $10 then $50 per postal item? $60 for a couple of OLEDs... As we say in Australia - yeah, nah.

Then again, all this could be a crazy bargaining chip. They froze the inbound mail from HK/China last month for what... half a day? Have the USPS and all the freight forwarders suddenly hired a few thousand people to deal with the usual few million packages a day? Next month will be very interesting.

[Andy Chee]

Then again, all this could be a crazy bargaining chip.

That's the contradiction. 

Tariffs can either be a bargaining chip for renegotiating trade partnerships, or tariffs are designed to bring manufacturing back to America. 

They are mutually exclusive goals, and Trump is playing both options, hence the market feedback instability.

Is this circuit designed to be an amplifier or an oscillator?  They are mutually exclusive goals, and require proper feedback to prevent instability.

[Analog Kid]

Tariffs can either be a bargaining chip for renegotiating trade partnerships, or tariffs are designed to bring manufacturing back to America. 

[emphasis mine]

Designed to bring back manufacturing to America, maybe.
Whether that's even possible remains to be seen.
My guess is not: even if the economic incentives/disincentives actually work, there's the problem that America gave away a lot of its manufacturing base as so much of it was offshored; it'd probably take years, plus a concerted, organized and funded effort, to even start to reverse that.

One thing the China-bashers always seem to miss is this:
It's not as if China came over here with gunboats and missiles and took our manufacturing base away from us, against our will.
We gave it away to them. Quite willingly and consciously. So our bad, I think.

[Andy Chee]

Also on the flip side, Chinese citizens weren't clamoring for American made products, even before China imposed this week's tariffs on American imports into China.

Trump effectively wants to force Chinese people to buy Dodge RAM, Ford F150 and Chevy Silverado pickups, in order to balance out trade terms. 

Problem is, Trump believes it's the CCP government stopping trucks being sold, when in reality Chinese people aren't interested.

[EEVblog]

What I'd like to know is, how could one possibly discuss tariffs without involving politics?
It's totally unavoidable. it's not just a matter of economics.
I think the restriction here is somewhat absurd; I can see doing something if discussions veer totally into the weeds (which doesn't seem to have happened here, yet).
But to discuss The Tariffs, since they're being imposed by You Know Who, we necessarily have to venture into ... Politics.

It seems you just completely lack self restraint, just like in the Tech Stocks Crash thread.
Look at the OP for a clue if you can't figure out how to do it.

[EEVblog]

One point that were not mentioned much in the media is that in addition to the tarrif, the Trump Administration also canceled the 'de minimis' for China only. This is a $800 waiver for personal imports. That change alone should impact all the small retailers at Aliexpress, Temu and the likes, even if the tarrif will get canceled.

It will affect literally tens of thousands of Chinese businesses. All that cheap stuff people love buying from aliexpress, temu, shein, taobao, ebay, etc., is all supposed to be stopped until the receiver pays their fee and charges.

From https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/further-amendment-to-duties-addressing-the-synthetic-opioid-supply-chain-in-the-peoples-republic-of-china-as-applied-to-low-value-imports/

Also impacts anyone anywhere who has a drop shipping service in China or Hong Kong (for US customers).
https://www.smartcompany.com.au/retail/us800-shipping-loophole-aussie-brands-china-de-minimis-exemption/

[johnboxall]

Also impacts anyone anywhere who has a drop shipping service in China or Hong Kong (for US customers).
https://www.smartcompany.com.au/retail/us800-shipping-loophole-aussie-brands-china-de-minimis-exemption/

Yes. A not-insignificant amount of Australians are about to stop making money if this situation holds. A rapidly-growing Australian 3PL company recently opened a big warehouse in Shanghai late last year. They'll be writing that off if things don't change.

[EEVblog]

Also impacts anyone anywhere who has a drop shipping service in China or Hong Kong (for US customers).
https://www.smartcompany.com.au/retail/us800-shipping-loophole-aussie-brands-china-de-minimis-exemption/

Yes. A not-insignificant amount of Australians are about to stop making money if this situation holds. A rapidly-growing Australian 3PL company recently opened a big warehouse in Shanghai late last year. They'll be writing that off if things don't change.

The US is about 1/3rd of my sales, but I ship direct from my lab.
Don't know exactly how this impacts my Amazon US FBA selling, I presume I'll have to pay the 10% tariff, and DHL will automatically collect and charge my account as I ship duty paid to my account.

[EEVblog]

I got this from Fedex.
It mentions semiconductors being exempt?