Trump's 2.0 trade war is already 'fundamentally different' from 1.0

Published On Feb 4, 2025, 10:53 AM

Former President Donald Trump's new trade war strategy appears fundamentally different from his previous approach. This time, he has rapidly implemented tariffs on China and threatened duties on Canada and Mexico while using legal authority to act quickly. The potential impact includes increased prices for consumer goods, as the tariffs target a wider range of imports. Trump's tactics and the quick responses from other nations like China suggest a more unpredictable trade environment that Wall Street is struggling to navigate. Overall, this strategy could lead to economic slowdowns if tariffs persist, which might challenge businesses relying on these imports.

Stock Forecasts

NVDA

Negative

Tariffs on high-tech and consumer goods are expected to disrupt supply chains and can lead to increased pricing, affecting profit margins. Companies like NVIDIA and Google may face retaliatory actions from China, which can negatively impact their stock prices.

TGT

Negative

Retail stocks could suffer from rising prices due to tariffs, especially companies like TARGET or Walmart, that deal in a wide range of consumer products susceptible to Trump's tariff threats.

SPY

Negative

Overall market uncertainty in response to rapid tariff implementations could lead to bearish trends across broad sectors, particularly in consumer discretionary and technology

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