Contributors

Global Investment Strategy Team

J.P. Morgan Wealth Management

 

President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on most goods imported from Mexico and Canada (energy products from Canada are set to face a lesser 10% tariff) and a 10% additional tariff on all goods from China, scheduled to take effect on February 4. The White House states the actions aim to advance U.S. priorities on immigration and drug trafficking, though specific goals for lifting the tariffs are unspecified. While a last-minute compromise is possible, the U.S. looks likely to proceed with tariffs, and the counterparties seem set to retaliate.

These tariffs create significant uncertainty in our economic and market outlook. Initially, our strategists believed significant tariffs on Canada and Mexico were unlikely due to their potential negative impact on North American growth. They had assumed a substantial tariff hike from 20% to 50% on imports from China, however, which was incorporated in their inflation outlook.

Here are a few notes on how our strategists are considering the risks if the tariffs on Mexico and Canada are imposed for a prolonged period of time:

  • They would likely lower their expectations for U.S. economic growth by 0.5% – 1% and increase their inflation outlook by the same amount.
  • They expect it is likely we will see more elevated stock market volatility as investors grapple with the implications given that U.S. large-cap equities are trading at premium valuations.
  • They believe we will likely see continued U.S. dollar strength relative to major trading partners.
  • They would expect even greater economic impacts on Mexico and Canada, as they heavily rely on exporting goods to the U.S. 
This scatter plot visualizes the relationship between exports to the U.S. (in billion USD) and the percentage of GDP for various countries as of December 2024.

 

In times like this, it’s important to remain focused on ensuring your portfolio withstands uncertainties without derailing your near-term needs and long-term goals. A resilient portfolio is properly diversified and tailored to your long-term plan.

All market and economic data as of 02/03/2025 are sourced from Bloomberg Finance L.P. and FactSet unless otherwise stated.


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Index definitions:

Standard and Poor’s 500 Index is a capitalization-weighted index of 500 stocks. The index is designed to measure performance of the broad domestic economy through changes in the aggregate market value of 500 stocks representing all major industries. The index was developed with a base level of 10 for the 1941–43 base period.

The Bloomberg Eco Surprise Index shows the degree to which economic analysts under- or over-estimate the trends in the business cycle. The surprise element is defined as the percentage difference between analyst forecasts and the published value of economic data releases.

The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure global developed market equity performance.

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The Russell 2000 Index measures small company stock market performance. The index does not include fees or expenses.

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