Trump tariffs & tool prices

[Katomi woodsmith]

I dont know how much it will affect tool prices,,, I can just se the notice at the car boot sale
Price increase due to trump lol

 

[Fergie 307]

Attractive as it is, at some point all these cheap imports from China will have to stop. If allowed to go on unchecked they will gradually hollow out all the production facilities in America and Europe.

Free-trade is treated like some holy writ, whereas it also has its bad sides as well as its good. There are already tariffs on some Chinese goods where the trade was deemed to be unfair.

Further tariffs will have to be applied to safeguard a basic production facility in the countries of the West. Cheaper imported goods are allowing the wages of the poorer in society to stagnate. At some point action of sorts will have to be taken, and whoever makes the first move will probably suffer the most.


We have become addicted to cheap goods but at some point we will have to go 'cold turkey' It is best to do this sooner rather than later..Or become so dependant that when the 'cheap imports' eventually become 'dear imports' our economies will not survive the shock.

Looking at the state of our steel industry and many manufactured goods, especially electricals, I think your perfectly valid point is about ten years or more too late

 

[niall Y]

Looking at the state of our steel industry and many manufactured goods, especially electricals, I think your perfectly valid point is about ten years or more too late

You could well be correct, and it is too little, too late. It is said that trade is war under another guise. And , China has fought a faultless campaign.

I remember a friend telling me, well over 30 years ago,about being approached at trade fair, by Chinese, offering to make all his products at much lower prices. He didn't accept their offers, but others obviously have over the years,

As well as having their own internet sales outlets, they virtually dominate Ebay for some products. And no sale seems to be too small to bother with .

They obviously don't have to contend with the inconvenience of Democracy or 4year fixed terms of governments. Or even the niceties of governments not subsidising production. They have laid down new 'silk routes' into Europe via road and rail.
There has also been a concerted effort to pay for their students to attend western universities and enrol them on advanced scientific and technological, courses.

They have also been active in safeguarding their access to raw materials in Africa and Australia and elsewhere in the world.

So , I would argue - a planned and pretty faultless campaign.