It’s been three full months of record-high tariffs, and yet rolling 12-month overall inflation came in at 2.7% in July, the same percentage rate as June, according to last week’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) inflation report. Core inflation (CPI), which excludes food and oil, rose 3.1% in July, up from 2.9% in June.
The inclusion of these steel products in the Section 232 tariff program will mean more jobs, more Made-in-the-USA, and help provide steady-order volume to our primary steel producers.
The Secure Trade Act codifies the President’s ten-percent universal tariff, and also repeals China’s “Most Favored Nation” (MFN) status.
The domestic polysilicon supply remains a national security imperative for the United States for many reasons including: China’s link to forced labor and human rights abuses; a globalized Chinese Communist Party-subsidized solar industry leading to overcapacity and export dumping; and the limitations of U.S. trade remedies to help, deep into the solar supply chain.
Investigation follows formal petitions filed last month by The Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, in response to market manipulation driven by predominantly Chinese-owned manufacturing companies operating in Indonesia, and Laos, as well as those headquartered in India.
The trade deficit fell 16% in June to a low $60.2 billion, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said on Tuesday, but despite a 3.7% reduction in imports, the goods deficit for the month was surprisingly resilient compared to recent years without tariffs.
Today’s action to directly target the midstream layer—rods, pipes, wires, connectors, and other semi-finished copper products that are essential to our economy and national security is extremely welcome. Combining the Section 232 action with the use of the Defense Production Act to ensure a robust supply of copper scrap for recycling is extraordinary.
The United States has become incredibly dependent on imports to meet its daily pharmaceutical needs. This heavy reliance on imports is now creating serious drug shortages and has led to a flurry of safety concerns.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), enacted in 2000, was designed to promote economic development and democratic reform in Sub-Saharan Africa by granting duty-free access to the U.S. market for thousands of products.
Realigning the dollar would be the most comprehensive and effective move to address the U.S. competitive disadvantage. It can be done either by a multilateral intervention agreement, or a MAC, which would be a federal tool to moderate foreign investment in dollar financial assets.
