U.S. Tariffs Fuel Inflation, Consumer Prices Rise Across Key Categories
The latest wave of U.S. tariffs is accelerating inflation, with prices climbing sharply on imported goods ranging from electronics to clothing. June’s inflation rate hit 2.7%, the highest in four months, as businesses pass rising import costs to consumers. Appliances surged nearly 2% in a single month, while other tariff-exposed categories like toys and produce followed suit.
Market resilience masks underlying pressures. Corporate inventory buffers, which once delayed price hikes, are now depleted. The result? Sticker shock at checkout counters and growing strain on household budgets. These tariffs—some as high as 50% on goods from China, the EU, and Mexico—function as a stealth tax, contradicting claims that foreign exporters bear the burden.
