Bitcoin backers argue that the cryptocurrency should be immune from the inflationary impacts of tariffs or eroding faith in the U.S. dollar. Others are skeptical.
The price of West Texas Intermediate is hovering around $60 per barrel — not low enough to kill the oil patch, but not generating “Drill, baby, drill!” vibes.
“What we learned from the last tariff experience is that what goes up must come down,” says Lisa Goldenberg of Delaware Steel Co. “So it's kind of a last man standing.”
Tariffs could trigger shortages and supply chain snarls, similar to what was seen when the pandemic cut off lines to Chinese manufacturers. Are the workarounds small business used then still valid now?
As tariffs continue to pinch businesses, growth opportunities and expansions have slowed to a halt. Todd Adams, president of Sanitube, a stainless steel tubing supplier, is currently preparing for the worst.
According to commercial real estate brokerage CBRE, office leasing activity had been up 23% year over year in the last months of 2024. But fears about the economy could impact companies’ plans.
Economic uncertainty is seeping into consumer expectations, which can become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy, an Aspen Institute economist says.
