Steel and aluminum tariffs: Is it good or bad?
- CEN analyst
- Mar 12, 2018
- 1 min read
The current administration has decided to impose a 25% tariff on steel, and a 10% tariff on aluminum. But what does this mean? First off, a tariff is a tax imposed on imported goods. This means that goods made from steel or aluminum in America will be pricier than the same goods that are imported from other countries. This move was made to increase steel production in the US and create more factory jobs. However, companies who use steel in their products will have to increase their prices. If we export American-made steel to other countries, it will be more expensive to purchase because of the strong dollar. Companies at home buying American steel will buy it for a higher price, causing price of goods like automobiles, soda cans etc. to soar. Then there is the possibility of other nations putting tariffs on American goods and services. The EU has threatened to put tariffs on Kentucky bourbon and Harley-Davidson motorcycles. My take, this law could cause worldwide disruption, trigger price wars on a international level and make stock markets fall. We frankly need more innovative and out of the box ideas for creating more blue collar jobs and increasing American exports.