Hello and welcome to Market Minute. Today we’re talking about President Trump’s call for retailers to “eat the tariffs.” He’s slapped a 30 percent levy on Chinese goods, plus duties on imports from Vietnam, Canada and Mexico. Walmart warned customers that prices could rise, and Trump fired back on Truth Social, insisting big chains can simply absorb the cost.

Small Business Administration head Kelly Loeffler even declared that “the top concern is not tariffs,” but as one factory CEO reminded her, “Manufacturing is a global supply chain.” UBS Global Wealth Management estimates that a 10 percent tariff ends up adding about 4 percent to retail prices. For Walmart, which built its success on razor-thin margins, a 30 percent tariff is more than a ripple—it’s a wave.

Home Depot says it will rework sourcing and may not stock heavily taxed products, but earnings are likely to suffer as stalling home building and missing inventory bite. Critics point out these levies are essentially a tax on imported goods—and advising executives to call it a “supply chain cost” won’t fool consumers.

Smaller businesses are already adding clear surcharges and telling customers why. In a twist worthy of Jonathan Swift’s satire, companies afraid to state the obvious are engaging in self-defeating silence. That’s the state of play as tariffs reshape the retail landscape. I’m Alex Johnson—thanks for listening.
Link to Article