Global financial markets have been thrown into turmoil this year, with tariffs sending shockwaves of volatility. The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) tumbled 4.8% on April 3, its sharpest single-day decline since the pandemic-induced crash in 2020, only to sink even lower the following day. In just two trading sessions, an astonishing $6.6 trillion in market value evaporated. And while a recent 90-day pause on most reciprocal tariffs, excluding China, has sparked a brief market bounce, uncertainty still hangs in the air.
In fact, China turned up the heat in the trade war on April 11, slapping retaliatory tariffs of up to 125% on U.S. imports, further intensifying tensions between the world’s two largest economies. As a result, the U.S. dollar fell to its weakest level against the euro since 2022. Yet amid the chaos, retail powerhouse Costco Wholesale (COST) has shown impressive resilience. Although the stock has retreated over 9% from its February peak amid broader market turbulence, its long-term growth trajectory still shines. But with trade tensions escalating, is COST stock a buy or sell now?
