Table of Contents

• Trump Tariffs

• U.S. Stocks

Top Stories Today

Trump Tariffs

President Donald Trump unveiled detailed "reciprocal tariff" rates targeting over 180 countries and territories, including those in the European Union. The administration released charts outlining what it claims are the duties and trade restrictions those nations impose on American goods, including alleged currency manipulation. Trump said the new U.S. levies will generally be about half of what the U.S. says it currently faces abroad, though the actual rates vary by country and could be higher. For instance, China will face a combined tariff of 54% when the new rate is added to existing duties. While Trump emphasized a 10% minimum for all, many trading partners will encounter substantially steeper rates, based on what the White House says are broader barriers to U.S. trade. Trump clarified that the policy won’t result in full reciprocity but aims to counter what he describes as unfair practices.

U.S. Stocks

U.S. stocks plunged Thursday, with the S&P 500 logging its worst single-day loss since 2020, after President Donald Trump revealed aggressive new import duties. The broad market gauge dropped nearly 5%, while the Nasdaq and Dow sank 6% and 4%, respectively. The declines were driven by fears that the sweeping tariff policy could trigger a global trade war and tip the U.S. into recession. Over 400 S&P 500 stocks posted losses, with Apple, Meta, and Nvidia among the hardest hit, as tech shares led the rout. Retailers and semiconductor companies also tumbled. The policy was described by Trump as “economic independence,” but markets reacted negatively to the unexpected severity. Investors shifted into safer assets like government bonds, and analysts warned that if markets don’t stabilize at key technical levels, further declines could follow.

Thanks for reading, subscribe to The Standard Lens for more.