US President Donald Trump imposes 25% tariff on imports of some advanced computing chips

Lallalit Srijandorn FXStreet

US President Trump said that he would impose a 25% tariff on select semiconductors, including the Nvidia H200 AI processor and a similar semiconductor from AMD called the MI325X, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

The proclamation, which cited national security as a justification, is part of a broader attempt to create incentives for chipmakers to produce more semiconductors in the United States and decrease reliance on chip manufacturers in other countries like Taiwan.

Market reaction

As of writing, the AUD/USD pair is down 0.04% on the day at 0.6680.

Tariffs FAQs

What are tariffs?

Tariffs are customs duties levied on certain merchandise imports or a category of products. Tariffs are designed to help local producers and manufacturers be more competitive in the market by providing a price advantage over similar goods that can be imported. Tariffs are widely used as tools of protectionism, along with trade barriers and import quotas.

What is the difference between taxes and tariffs?

Although tariffs and taxes both generate government revenue to fund public goods and services, they have several distinctions. Tariffs are prepaid at the port of entry, while taxes are paid at the time of purchase. Taxes are imposed on individual taxpayers and businesses, while tariffs are paid by importers.

Are tariffs good or bad?

There are two schools of thought among economists regarding the usage of tariffs. While some argue that tariffs are necessary to protect domestic industries and address trade imbalances, others see them as a harmful tool that could potentially drive prices higher over the long term and lead to a damaging trade war by encouraging tit-for-tat tariffs.

What is US President Donald Trump’s tariff plan?

During the run-up to the presidential election in November 2024, Donald Trump made it clear that he intends to use tariffs to support the US economy and American producers. In 2024, Mexico, China and Canada accounted for 42% of total US imports. In this period, Mexico stood out as the top exporter with $466.6 billion, according to the US Census Bureau. Hence, Trump wants to focus on these three nations when imposing tariffs. He also plans to use the revenue generated through tariffs to lower personal income taxes.

Author

Lallalit Srijandorn

FXStreet

Lallalit Srijandorn is a Parisian at heart. She has lived in France since 2019 and now becomes a digital entrepreneur based in Paris and Bangkok.

AUD/USD keeps the red near 0.6950 after weak Aussie jobs data

AUD/USD holds losses near 0.6950 on disappointing Australian jobs data, extending the previous day's retracement slide from the monthly high and hitting a fresh weekly low during Thursday’s Asian session. Meanwhile, declining US bond yields drag the US Dollar away from the April 2025 high, touched after Wednesday's hot US CPI, helping limit losses for the currency pair.

USD/JPY slides back below 158.00 as USD reverses post-CPI gains

USD/JPY extends the previous day's pullback from a three-week high, attracting follow-through selling and sliding below 158.00 during Thursday's Asian session. Traders remain on high alert amid speculation that authorities will step in to prop up the Japanese Yen. The US Dollar, meanwhile, reverses Wednesday's hot CPI-led gains to April 2025 highs as US bond yields retreat on China bond-buying talk, further pressuring the pair.

Gold rebounds to $4,150 as China bond-buying reports smash US yields

Gold attracts strong buying and retests $4,150 during the Asian session on Thursday, snapping a three-day losing streak to a one-week low. Retreating US bond yields drag the US Dollar away from the April 2025 high, touched in reaction to Wednesday’s hot US CPI report, and boost the non-yielding bullion. Reports that China is quietly buying US Treasuries through Canada are smashing US Treasury bond yields and the USD.

Bitcoin falls on hot CPI: Why $80,000 support matters

Bitcoin's (BTC) most critical level to watch is near $80,000 as September's hot inflation reading pressures the crypto market, according to Glassnode. The top crypto declined within minutes of the September Consumer Price Index (CPI) release, which showed a 3.7% annual increase in headline inflation, above forecasts of 3.6%. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, came in at 2.6%.

China seems routing US Treasury holdings through Canada

According to a Bloomberg report, China seems to be moving United States securities to non-US custodian banks in other countries, masking its role in financing US deficits.

Has Bitcoin really escaped the macro forces it was built to fight?

Over 17 years ago, Satoshi Nakamoto designed Bitcoin (BTC) on the back of a global financial crisis as an alternative to the global monetary system outside the control of central banks, governments and traditional intermediaries. This raises a key question: has Bitcoin really become independent of the macroeconomic forces it was built to challenge?