Copper Prices Vs. Tariffs


Symbol for copper

Anybody who imports or sells extension cords was concerned when the Trump administration announced last spring that copper cables imported from China would be subject to tariffs of up to 25%. Most of the extension cords sold in the US are Chinese made and everybody braced themselves for increased prices on these popular imports.

Then we got a good surprise. Copper prices globally are down considerably since the spring, and while they have recovered somewhat, they are still much lower than they were when the tariffs were announced.

So far, most distributors have been able to hold the line on prices, with manufacturers paying less for raw materials but importers having to offset those savings in order to manage the tariffs?

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