As if investors didn’t have enough to worry about, the Trump tariffs have gone into effect. As other nations begin to retaliate, this could be the initial battle in a prolonged trade war. Stocks are sinking across the board consequently, and that includes some of the top names from 2024, which don’t look as magnificent in 2025.
Tariffs put pressure on corporate earnings and consumer spending, which is leading to cries of recession. However, what makes this particular tariff program so unsettling is its seemingly random, unpredictable nature. Are the tariffs being used to drive down interest rates? Are they being used to drive onshore manufacturing? Or are they, as President Trump says, about leverage to achieve policy objectives?
