Category: Politics, Religion & Money

Tariff Test Update

There’s been a delay in the shipment of my Thakker turntable belts from Germany.

The original shipment was canceled. The shipment will be booked on a new shipment.

The originally planned transport for the transport container was canceled (e.g., due to insufficient transport capacity). The transport container with the shipment will be assigned to the next available transport.

With the 10% tariff taking effect today, my assumption is it’s now being applied to the shipment, with payment due upon delivery.

The Wrong Sort of Correction

The stock market was inflated and overdue for a correction. It isn’t the Fed’s job to tame Wall Street’s irrational exuberance, but markets always react to rate changes. This is why I think the Fed shouldn’t have cut rates last year. (Another reason is I like earning 4.5% on CDs.)

Rather than continuing to apply more braking power to inflation, the Fed’s easing of interest rates coincided with Wall Street’s optimism over Trump’s “business friendly” return to the White House. In a classic “be careful what you wish for” scenario for investment banks, Trump has whacked Wall Street with his irrational exuberance for tariffs.

Now Trump is saying, “This would be a PERFECT time for Fed Chairman Jerome Powell to cut Interest Rates.” Uh, no it’s the WORST time. Here’s a bright, young economist who leaves no wiggle room in his analysis of Trump’s tariffs.