Trumps tariff ambiguity leaves gadget makers in limbo: Im going to run out of appliances
Summary
The day-to-day changes in rhetoric from the White House has created volatility on Wall Street, where tech stocks just wrapped up their worst quarter since 2022, and a sense of panic for smaller businesses that have less of a cushion to deal with the added costs of operations and potential supply chain bottlenecks. On Wednesday afternoon, President Trump is expected to deliver remarks at a "Make America Wealthy Again Event" in the Rose Garden, and to announce reciprocal tariffs that follow a bevy of other import duties on goods from China, Canada and Mexico. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged a "moderation in consumer spending" during the central banks March policy meeting and said tariffs could put upward pressure on prices. Liss said that no matter what Trump announces on Wednesday, in what hes calling "Liberation Day," the existing tariffs on goods from China have made it imperative that she find a new country for production. Those markets have steadily accrued the best component supply base, labor expertise and cost structures, which are difficult to replicate elsewhere, said Terry Arbaugh, chief commercial officer at SEACOMP, which designs and manufactures electronics such as thermostats and video game devices for customers.