Trump tariffs live updates: Possible tech, auto exemptions in focus as Trump team sows confusion

Yahoo

14-04-2025

President Trump maintained that tariffs will soon hit phones, computers, and major consumer tech products, as investor focus turns to products and companies that could garner at least temporary exemptions.
Trump and his top advisers sowed confusion this weekend, when it was revealed that the US had excluded smartphones, computers, and other consumer electronics from tariffs. But Trump said in a lengthy Sunday post on social media that there was "no exception" for those products.
"We are taking a look at Semiconductors and the WHOLE ELECTRONICS SUPPLY CHAIN in the upcoming National Security Tariff Investigations," he said.
The developments served as the latest in the tit-for-tat between the world's two largest economies. On Friday, China struck back at Trump's ballooning tariffs, raising its duties on imports of US goods to 125% from 84%.
The countermeasures came into effect Saturday, further intensifying a US-China trade war that has roiled US stocks as US tariffs on Chinese imports have ballooned to 145%. The trade conflict has weighed on investor sentiment, even as Trump instituted a 90-day pause on steep Liberation Day tariffs and the EU matched a US pause on retaliatory duties.
On Monday, Trump also said he was looking into possible exemptions on soon-to-come tariffs on auto parts, saying car companies need "a little bit of time" to transition to US-made parts.
Meanwhile, the baseline 10% tariff that went into effect on April 5 remains in place for all affected imports into the U.S.
In terms of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), compliant goods are imported tariff-free when traded among the three countries, while non-compliant goods are tariffed at 25% — except for energy and potash, which are tariffed at 10%.
Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world.
President Trump just made a variety of comments on tariffs during a media appearance. Some highlights:
When the US levies a tariff on an imported good, who pays the price: the manufacturer, the importer, or the consumer?
A new study published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found that the consumer ultimately gets charged for the higher cost of importing.
Researchers working with Morning Consult asked small- and medium-size businesses about their expectations for tariffs at the end of 2024. They found that firms planned to pass along higher costs from tariffs to their customers by raising prices.
Importers said they expected the cost increases to be fully reflected in prices in about two years, but the extent of these price increases would vary under different tariff scenarios.
Capital Economics calculates the current effective tariff rate on US imports at 22% after some exemptions on tech products. Last week, the effective rate reached 27%, the highest level in over a century.
US President Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause on proposed tariff hikes. But exporters remain wary, as a 10% flat levy could return if trade talks fall short. Here's a look at what could go missing from American shelves as businesses weigh the cost of additional tariffs and mull reducing their US exposure.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here
The world's top two economies appear to be on a long-term path toward decoupling, following a month marked by a sharp rise in China's exports and a trade surplus nearing $103 billion.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here
Japan's prime minister stated that he will not hurry into a compromise during crucial trade talks with the US this week, a stance that could influence other countries looking for relief from President Donald Trump's ongoing tariff push.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said on Monday that initial tariff discussions with the United States had gone "smoothly" and expressed hope the talks could pave the way for a fresh trade framework centered around deeper Taiwan-US economic ties.
Reuters reports:
Read more here
After news broke early Saturday that President Donald Trump's administration was exempting smartphones, computers and other electronics from its so-called reciprocal tariffs — giving what looked like a huge break to companies like Apple and Nvidia — Trump on Sunday posted an update to Truth Social denying that such exemptions were taking place:
Many members of the Trump administration went on Sunday morning news shows in attempt to rein in some of the chaos; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC's "This Week" that smartphones, computers and some other electronics would be under separate upcoming tariffs.
Read more here
As its trade war with the US continues to escalate, China has halted the export of rare earth minerals and magnets which are used by industries around the globe that include automakers, aerospace manufacturers and semiconductor makers, the New York Times reports:
And, as the NYT notes, this could have potentially far-reaching consequences.
The Financial Times reported Saturday that the US was seeking a path to challenge China's moves:
Read more here
The UK has suspended import tariffs on dozens of products as part of an effort to blunt the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs on British businesses, the Financial Times reports:
Read more here
With 145% tariffs on Chinese imports to the US and China vowing to "fight to the end" if President Donald Trump keeps escalating the trade war, American soybean farmers are facing a sobering reality, CNN reports:
The trade war between the US and China gives Brazil, the leading soybean exporter in the world, a significant opportunity, CNN notes; last year, Brazil exported more than 73% of its soybean crop to China. During the 2018 trade war with China, 71% of the $27 billion in losses suffered by the US agricultural sector were soybean-related.
Read more here
(Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday in an interview with ABC's "This Week" that smartphones, computers and some other electronics will come under separate tariffs, along with semiconductors that may be imposed in a month or so.
President Donald Trump's administration late on Friday granted exclusions from steep tariffs on such products, imported largely from China, providing a big break to tech firms like Apple that rely on imported products.
Read more here
As our colleague Josh Schafer writes, as of April 3, the Yale Budget Lab had estimated the effective US tariff rate was 22.5%. Now, it estimates the US effective tariff rate is 27%.
And uncertainty in what tariffs may or may not be applied — late Friday, the Trump administration exempted many consumer electronics including smartphones and computers — is causing consternation on Wall Street:
Read more here
European travel to the US has cratered, as many would-be visitors are wary of the Trump administration's border and tariff policies, the Financial Times reports:
Read more here
American producers of maple syrup say even though they sell to customers in the US, they have still been affected by President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, CNN reports:
Read more here
Spanish olive oil producers are rushing to ensure they can still sell plenty of the "liquid gold" in the US market if tariff policy shifts again.
Olive oil importers have increased shipments into the US as European goods face a 10% tariff rate that may jump up to 25% in 90 days after President Trump's tariff pause expires. Some are even exploring producing more olive oil in the US.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Tariffs from the Trump administration are creating a headache for beer giant Constellation Brands (STZ), Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi reports.
"Well, the consumer is concerned about a number of things," Constellation Brands CEO Bill Newlands said on Yahoo Finance's Catalysts, highlighting inflation and immigration as top concerns. "How that's translating is that people are spending less. They're out less in restaurants. They're spending less on consumer goods and consumables."
Sozzi noted that challenges for the maker of the popular Corona and Modelo beers were evident in its latest earnings report:
Read more here.
President Donald Trump's administration is exempting smartphones, computers and other electronics from its so-called reciprocal tariffs, Bloomberg reported Saturday, giving tech shoppers and companies like Samsung and Apple a reprieve from much higher costs:
As our colleague Dan Howley wrote, the tariff announcements left tech shoppers puzzled about whether they should hold off buying that new device.
'I think, broadly speaking, there's no way to predict what happens next,' said Dallas Dolen, a principal in PwC's technology practice, said.
Read more here
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
The euro has emerged as a surprise winner of the recent tariff-induced market turmoil, Reuters reports.
Following the November 2024 election, the United States was seen as the exceptional market and economy. Now, Europe has surfaced as the safer bet as the Trump administration's trade skirmishes plunge global markets into chaos.
From Reuters:
Read more here.
US stocks capped a chaotic week on Wall Street, as investors weighed the latest tariff-related developments and the trade war between the US and China.
Trump's fast-moving tariff policy created a whiplash in stocks this week, which started with heavy selling, followed by historic gains on Wednesday and sharp losses on Thursday.
In the end, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) had their best weeks since 2023, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) logged its best week since 2022, with a weekly gain of 7%.
Read more about today's market action and this week's wild rally
President Trump just made a variety of comments on tariffs during a media appearance. Some highlights:
When the US levies a tariff on an imported good, who pays the price: the manufacturer, the importer, or the consumer?
A new study published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston found that the consumer ultimately gets charged for the higher cost of importing.
Researchers working with Morning Consult asked small- and medium-size businesses about their expectations for tariffs at the end of 2024. They found that firms planned to pass along higher costs from tariffs to their customers by raising prices.
Importers said they expected the cost increases to be fully reflected in prices in about two years, but the extent of these price increases would vary under different tariff scenarios.
Capital Economics calculates the current effective tariff rate on US imports at 22% after some exemptions on tech products. Last week, the effective rate reached 27%, the highest level in over a century.
US President Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause on proposed tariff hikes. But exporters remain wary, as a 10% flat levy could return if trade talks fall short. Here's a look at what could go missing from American shelves as businesses weigh the cost of additional tariffs and mull reducing their US exposure.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here
The world's top two economies appear to be on a long-term path toward decoupling, following a month marked by a sharp rise in China's exports and a trade surplus nearing $103 billion.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here
Japan's prime minister stated that he will not hurry into a compromise during crucial trade talks with the US this week, a stance that could influence other countries looking for relief from President Donald Trump's ongoing tariff push.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said on Monday that initial tariff discussions with the United States had gone "smoothly" and expressed hope the talks could pave the way for a fresh trade framework centered around deeper Taiwan-US economic ties.
Reuters reports:
Read more here
After news broke early Saturday that President Donald Trump's administration was exempting smartphones, computers and other electronics from its so-called reciprocal tariffs — giving what looked like a huge break to companies like Apple and Nvidia — Trump on Sunday posted an update to Truth Social denying that such exemptions were taking place:
Many members of the Trump administration went on Sunday morning news shows in attempt to rein in some of the chaos; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC's "This Week" that smartphones, computers and some other electronics would be under separate upcoming tariffs.
Read more here
As its trade war with the US continues to escalate, China has halted the export of rare earth minerals and magnets which are used by industries around the globe that include automakers, aerospace manufacturers and semiconductor makers, the New York Times reports:
And, as the NYT notes, this could have potentially far-reaching consequences.
The Financial Times reported Saturday that the US was seeking a path to challenge China's moves:
Read more here
The UK has suspended import tariffs on dozens of products as part of an effort to blunt the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs on British businesses, the Financial Times reports:
Read more here
With 145% tariffs on Chinese imports to the US and China vowing to "fight to the end" if President Donald Trump keeps escalating the trade war, American soybean farmers are facing a sobering reality, CNN reports:
The trade war between the US and China gives Brazil, the leading soybean exporter in the world, a significant opportunity, CNN notes; last year, Brazil exported more than 73% of its soybean crop to China. During the 2018 trade war with China, 71% of the $27 billion in losses suffered by the US agricultural sector were soybean-related.
Read more here
(Reuters) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday in an interview with ABC's "This Week" that smartphones, computers and some other electronics will come under separate tariffs, along with semiconductors that may be imposed in a month or so.
President Donald Trump's administration late on Friday granted exclusions from steep tariffs on such products, imported largely from China, providing a big break to tech firms like Apple that rely on imported products.
Read more here
As our colleague Josh Schafer writes, as of April 3, the Yale Budget Lab had estimated the effective US tariff rate was 22.5%. Now, it estimates the US effective tariff rate is 27%.
And uncertainty in what tariffs may or may not be applied — late Friday, the Trump administration exempted many consumer electronics including smartphones and computers — is causing consternation on Wall Street:
Read more here
European travel to the US has cratered, as many would-be visitors are wary of the Trump administration's border and tariff policies, the Financial Times reports:
Read more here
American producers of maple syrup say even though they sell to customers in the US, they have still been affected by President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, CNN reports:
Read more here
Spanish olive oil producers are rushing to ensure they can still sell plenty of the "liquid gold" in the US market if tariff policy shifts again.
Olive oil importers have increased shipments into the US as European goods face a 10% tariff rate that may jump up to 25% in 90 days after President Trump's tariff pause expires. Some are even exploring producing more olive oil in the US.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Tariffs from the Trump administration are creating a headache for beer giant Constellation Brands (STZ), Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi reports.
"Well, the consumer is concerned about a number of things," Constellation Brands CEO Bill Newlands said on Yahoo Finance's Catalysts, highlighting inflation and immigration as top concerns. "How that's translating is that people are spending less. They're out less in restaurants. They're spending less on consumer goods and consumables."
Sozzi noted that challenges for the maker of the popular Corona and Modelo beers were evident in its latest earnings report:
Read more here.
President Donald Trump's administration is exempting smartphones, computers and other electronics from its so-called reciprocal tariffs, Bloomberg reported Saturday, giving tech shoppers and companies like Samsung and Apple a reprieve from much higher costs:
As our colleague Dan Howley wrote, the tariff announcements left tech shoppers puzzled about whether they should hold off buying that new device.
'I think, broadly speaking, there's no way to predict what happens next,' said Dallas Dolen, a principal in PwC's technology practice, said.
Read more here
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
The euro has emerged as a surprise winner of the recent tariff-induced market turmoil, Reuters reports.
Following the November 2024 election, the United States was seen as the exceptional market and economy. Now, Europe has surfaced as the safer bet as the Trump administration's trade skirmishes plunge global markets into chaos.
From Reuters:
Read more here.
US stocks capped a chaotic week on Wall Street, as investors weighed the latest tariff-related developments and the trade war between the US and China.
Trump's fast-moving tariff policy created a whiplash in stocks this week, which started with heavy selling, followed by historic gains on Wednesday and sharp losses on Thursday.
In the end, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) had their best weeks since 2023, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) logged its best week since 2022, with a weekly gain of 7%.
Read more about today's market action and this week's wild rally