iPhones, prices and Brexit: Your questions about tariffs answered

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Donald Trump slaps overmuch of the satellite with a 10% baseline tariff portion others look adjacent higher rates. Our correspondents reply your questions.

From Saturday, astir goods imported to the US from anyplace successful the satellite volition look a 10% "baseline" tariff.

Donald Trump announced higher rates for immoderate countries helium singled retired arsenic the "worst offenders" for trade.

Our correspondents person been answering your questions astir what this means and the interaction it could have.

Will the tariffs pb to a stagnant planetary economy?

David Rash, successful Yeovil, asks Deputy Economics editor, Dharshini David, if the tariffs volition pb to a stagnant satellite system pursuing a reduced proviso of overseas goods into the US and a simplification of US exports?

This is simply a precise existent risk.

The tariffs introduced by President Trump magnitude to the largest specified levy to look American consumers successful astir a century.

If they bash get enactment successful spot – and stay – determination is apt to beryllium a superior dent to the magnitude bought by Americans, inactive the world's biggest shoppers, from the remainder of the world.

And those who are prepared to fork retired for higher prices owed to tariffs volition person little to walk connected different things.

In the lawsuit of the retaliation threatened by different countries, American exporters volition endure – hence the interest that not conscionable the US but the full planetary economy, truthful reliant connected commercialized flows, could slow.

But arsenic you say, the earthy inclination is for countries hardest deed – toymakers from China to apparel manufacturers successful Vietnam - to boost merchantability successful different markets.

That mightiness entreaty to consumers – but obviously, could disadvantage businesses successful those people markets.

What happens to US products that are made successful China?

Mike Heafield, 60, successful Preston, asks Senior Technology reporter, Graham Fraser, What happens to products - similar the iPhone - that are made successful China by US companies?

One eye-catching effect of the tariffs announcement has been the interaction connected Apple, with its stock terms falling 7%.

The US tech elephantine has ample manufacturing bases successful immoderate of the countries deed hardest by President Trump's argumentation - notably China, which faces tariffs of 54%, and Vietnam (46%).

In 2019, erstwhile Trump was archetypal successful the White House, Apple was fixed Chinese tariff exemptions. Apple bosses volition beryllium hoping to enactment retired a akin woody this time.

The planetary concern slope Citi said: "If Apple cannot get exempted this clip and assuming Apple gets deed by the accumulative 54% China tariffs and does not walk it through, we estimation astir 9% antagonistic interaction to the company's full gross margin."

In February, Apple committed to put much than $500bn (£396bn) successful the US implicit the adjacent 4 years. At the time, Trump claimed Apple's enactment for US manufacturing was partially a effect to his commercialized policies, including tariffs.

How volition the tariffs interaction US consumers?

Paul Miller, successful Devon, asks Dharshini David, Deputy Economics editor, astir the interaction of tariffs connected US consumers, and whether the UK could summation from them.

US shoppers could precise overmuch beryllium the frontline casualties successful this commercialized war, blighted by higher prices and little choice, careless of the president's rhetoric.

And that does mean that producers volition question retired and instrumentality vantage of caller markets.

We saw that successful the president's archetypal term, erstwhile the likes of Vietnam and Malaysia took vantage of the tariffs helium imposed connected China to summation the magnitude they sold to America.

Ironically, they consequently are successful the firing enactment present - and truthful volition apt beryllium vying to merchantability much to the UK – bully for consumers, little truthful for competing businesses

Already, galore producers are turning their sights beyond established customers – deliberation whisky makers looking towards Asia. That is apt to intensify.

Trump's announcement whitethorn mean a redraft of the planetary commercialized representation – and our ain buying lists.

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Will this person an effect connected the UK's outgo of living?

Jock Scott, from Nuneaton, asks Business newsman Nick Edser if the US tariffs person an effect connected the UK's outgo of living.

As ever erstwhile looking astatine the implications of the tariffs, there's a batch of uncertainty implicit this. In immoderate circumstances UK prices could spell up, successful others they could fall.

The tariffs announced by Trump connected Wednesday volition beryllium paid for by the businesses which import goods into the US. This means the archetypal interaction of terms rises is apt to beryllium connected US consumers, if American firms walk connected the other costs.

However, immoderate economists deliberation the tariffs could fortify the worth of the dollar against different currencies. If the lb weakens against the dollar, past UK firms importing goods from the US volition look higher costs. This could past pb to higher prices of these goods successful UK shops if companies cannot sorb the accrued costs themselves.

Also, if the UK authorities decides to retaliate with tariffs of its ain connected US goods entering the UK, determination is simply a hazard UK prices could emergence if British businesses walk connected the other costs to customers.

However, immoderate economists person suggested prices could besides autumn arsenic a effect of the tariffs.

Swati Dhingra, an economist and subordinate of the Bank of England's monetary argumentation committee, which sets involvement rates, has suggested that firms which usually nonstop their goods to the US whitethorn alternatively nonstop them to countries which don't person specified steep tariffs, similar the UK, perchance starring to a flood of cheaper goods.

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What does this mean for my pension?

Robert Jones, from Cardiff, asks Kevin Peachey, Cost of surviving correspondent, astir the interaction of tariffs connected our pension investments.

There is small uncertainty Trump's announcement connected tariffs has led to immediate moves successful stock prices and are besides apt to person a longer-term economical impact.

Robert and Stephen person mentioned the driblet successful the worth of their pension investments, and the concern volition beryllium unsettling for millions of radical with immoderate benignant of investments.

Experts accidental that investors person ever had to thrust economical shocks. Investments, by definition, necessitate a semipermanent outlook and strategy. So, they are urging radical not to panic oregon marque knee-jerk decisions.

That said, for those astir to gully connected investments, it whitethorn beryllium much worrying, albeit that astir pension savings are moved into safer holdings similar currency oregon bonds arsenic radical attack status age. The authorities pension is unaffected.

Does the UK person a 'Brexit benefit' implicit the EU?

Paul Naldrett from Windsor asks Business analogous Marc Ashdown if the UK's presumption extracurricular of the European Union is really an accidental arsenic the EU is fixed 20% tariffs.

Some are referring to a "Brexit benefit" due to the fact that the UK is lone taxable to 10% tariffs alternatively than the 20% being slapped connected the EU.

Not lone volition that bounds the symptom felt by British businesses compared to their European neighbours, but it could contiguous trading opportunities.

UK exporters to America could person a competitory edge, with US importers lone facing fractional the taxation by dealing with UK businesses alternatively of EU businesses.

British firms - and consumers - could besides payment from cheaper goods uncovering their mode present alternatively of America if the other costs beryllium insurmountable.

But, determination are concerns astir the interaction that could person connected homegrown industries if inexpensive products, perchance with little standards, flood the UK market.

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