Trump's 2025 Trade Policy: Impact Analysis from Tariff Shocks to U.S. Stock Market Rebound

In the spring of 2025, President Trump of the United States announced the "Liberation Day" tariff initiative, imposing a 145% tariff on goods from China, which caused market turmoil. Subsequently, Trump suggested a potential reduction in tariffs and secured a trade agreement with the United Kingdom, leading to a rebound in the U.S. stock market. The timing of these policy actions and market reactions offers a concrete example of the interaction between policy and the stock market.
Key Updates
05/09 13:30
Trump's 2025 Trade Policy: Impact Analysis from Tariff Shocks to U.S. Stock Market Rebound
In the spring of 2025, President Trump of the United States announced the "Liberation Day" tariff initiative, imposing a 145% tariff on goods from China, which caused market turmoil. Subsequently, Trump suggested a potential reduction in tariffs and secured a trade agreement with the United Kingdom, leading to a rebound in the U.S. stock market. The timing of these policy actions and market reactions offers a concrete example of the interaction between policy and the stock market.
April 2: "Liberation Day" Tariff Announcement, Market Plummets
On April 2, 2025, the Trump administration announced the implementation of the "Liberation Day" tariff plan, imposing tariffs as high as 145% on most Chinese imports and an additional 25% on imports from countries such as Canada and Mexico. This move marked a significant shift in trade policy during Trump's second term.
Following the announcement, global markets reacted swiftly. According to reports from CNN and CNBC, U.S. stock index futures fell sharply, with S&P 500 futures dropping 3.9%, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures down 2.7%, and Nasdaq 100 futures plunging 4.7%. Asian and European markets also declined, with Japan's Nikkei 225 index down 2.8% and Germany's DAX index down 3.1%.
April 3 to April 6: Continued Market Decline, Trump and Treasury Secretary's Remarks Fail to Stabilize Sentiment
On April 3, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged countries "not to retaliate," but the market showed no signs of stabilizing. Trump stated on April 6 that the tariffs "are in effect, and it's a beautiful thing," yet U.S. stocks continued to fall that day.
According to reports from Wikipedia and Yahoo Finance, market confidence remained low during this period. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell announced on April 7 that interest rates would remain unchanged, citing high uncertainty brought by the tariff policy. Trump further exacerbated market volatility by criticizing Powell as a "fool" on Truth Social on April 8.
April 8: Market Rebounds as Trump Hints at Possible Tariff Adjustments
On April 8, Trump posted on social media, "We know tariffs will be lowered," and hinted that negotiations with China would begin over the weekend. This statement boosted market sentiment, with the S&P 500 rising 9.52% that day, marking the largest single-day gain since 2008, and the Dow Jones surging 2,900 points.
According to CNBC and The New York Times, although analysts warned that the market reaction was overly optimistic, investors generally interpreted it as a signal that the trade war might cool down.
May 8: US-UK Trade Agreement Announced, Trump Urges "Buy Stocks Now"
On May 8, Trump announced a "major" trade agreement with the UK at the White House, which included the UK removing non-tariff barriers on U.S. agricultural products and committing to expanding the U.S. export market. During the press conference, Trump said, "You better buy stocks now; this country is going to rocket up."
On that day, U.S. stocks rose across the board. The S&P 500 increased by 0.6%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 254 points (0.6%), and the Nasdaq index climbed 1.1%. According to Yahoo Finance and CBS News, expectations for more future trade agreements boosted investor confidence.
May 9: On the Eve of US-China Negotiations, Trump Releases More Optimistic Signals
On May 9, Trump posted on Truth Social, "80% of China's tariffs seem reasonable," and mentioned "many trade agreements are underway, all good (even great) deals." The market rose again, with the Dow Jones up 0.2%, the S&P 500 up 0.4%, and the Nasdaq up 0.5%.
On the same day, Bitcoin prices surpassed $104,000, and gold prices fell by 2%, indicating increased investor risk appetite. According to Yahoo Finance, Treasury Secretary Bessent will head to Geneva for talks with Chinese officials before the weekend, with the market closely watching for concrete progress on tariff reductions.
Key Timeline Summary
Date | Event | Market Reaction |
---|---|---|
April 2 | "Liberation Day" tariffs announced, 145% tariffs on Chinese goods | U.S. stock futures plummeted, global markets fell |
April 3 to April 6 | Treasury Secretary and Trump's remarks failed to stabilize the market | U.S. stocks continued to fall, Fed kept interest rates unchanged |
April 8 | Trump hinted at tariff reductions | S&P 500 rose 9.52%, Dow surged 2,900 points |
May 8 | US-UK trade agreement announced, Trump urged "buy stocks" | S&P 500 and Dow rose 0.6%, Nasdaq rose 1.1% |
May 9 | Trump released more optimistic signals about tariff reductions, previewing US-China talks | U.S. stocks rose slightly, Bitcoin and oil rose, gold fell |
References
- Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq rally on trade optimism as Trump says 'buy stock now'
- Trump tariffs live updates: Trump floats cutting slashing China tariffs to 80% with talks ahead
- Trump tariffs live updates: Trump floats cutting slashing China tariffs to 80% with talks ahead
- Trump tariffs live updates: Trump floats cutting slashing China tariffs to 80% with talks ahead
- Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq edge higher as Trump floats cut to China tariffs
- Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq rally on trade optimism as Trump says 'buy stock now'
- Trump’s Tariff Tsunami: Timeline of global economic fallout - Background of Trump’s tariff policies
- Chinese exports to US plummeted in April as Trump’s tariffs kicked in
- GREAT DEAL FOR AMERICA: President Trump’s “Breakthrough” Trade Deal
- Stocks close higher after U.S. and U.K. announce trade deal
- Tariffs in the second Trump administration - Wikipedia
- Trump's trade saga is further proof that trying to time the stock market is a fool's errand