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The financial world is abuzz with breaking news: former U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to impose blanket tariffs of 15% or 20% on imported goods if he returns to office. This significant policy shift, initially reported by Walter Bloomberg on X, citing NBC News, has sent ripples of speculation across markets. For those of us deeply invested in the cryptocurrency market, understanding the potential fallout of such a move is paramount. Will this be a catalyst for digital assets, or will it simply add to the broader economic uncertainty?

Trump Tariffs: What’s on the Table?

Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House brings with it a familiar, yet intensified, approach to international commerce: aggressive protectionism. The proposed blanket tariffs, ranging from 15% to 20% on all imported goods, represent a significant escalation from his previous trade policies. During his first term, Trump imposed tariffs on specific goods like steel and aluminum, and engaged in a high-profile trade war with China. This new proposal, however, suggests a far broader and more sweeping application.

• Blanket Application: Unlike targeted tariffs, a ‘blanket’ approach means virtually all goods entering the U.S. would be subject to these new levies, regardless of their origin or type.
• Significant Percentage: A 15-20% tariff is substantial, designed to drastically increase the cost of foreign goods and incentivize domestic production.
• Economic Philosophy: This policy aligns with an ‘America First’ economic strategy, aiming to reduce trade deficits and bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.

The implications of such a policy are far-reaching, touching every aspect of the economy from consumer prices to corporate supply chains, and inevitably, the global financial landscape.

The Broad Economic Impact: Who Pays the Price?

When discussing economic impact, tariffs often lead to a complex web of consequences that extend far beyond border fees. While the stated goal of tariffs is to protect domestic industries and jobs, the reality is often more nuanced, with costs ultimately passed down to consumers and businesses alike.

Potential Economic Ramifications:

• Inflationary Pressures: Imported goods become more expensive. U.S. businesses that rely on imported components or finished products will face higher costs, which they are likely to pass on to consumers in the form of higher prices. This can fuel domestic inflation, eroding purchasing power.
• Supply Chain Disruptions: Global supply chains are intricately linked. Imposing blanket tariffs could force companies to re-evaluate or reconfigure their sourcing strategies, potentially leading to delays, increased operational costs, and reduced efficiency. This might encourage ‘reshoring’ but at a potentially significant short-term cost.
• Reduced Consumer Spending: Higher prices for goods and services, coupled with potential wage stagnation if businesses struggle, could lead to a decline in overall consumer spending, which is a major driver of economic growth.
• Corporate Profitability: Companies, especially those heavily reliant on international trade or imported materials, could see their profit margins squeezed. This might lead to lower earnings, impacting stock valuations and investment decisions.
• Job Market Shifts: While some domestic manufacturing sectors might see a boost, others reliant on affordable imports or export markets could face job losses. The overall effect on employment is often debated and highly dependent on the specific industry and market response.

Who Wins and Who Loses?

Navigating Global Trade: A New Era of Protectionism?

The prospect of significant new import duties raises critical questions about the future of global trade. Trump’s previous tariffs sparked retaliatory measures from countries like China and the European Union, leading to a period of heightened trade tensions. A blanket tariff policy would almost certainly provoke a similar, if not more aggressive, response from major trading partners.

Key Considerations for Global Trade:

• Retaliatory Tariffs: Other nations are highly likely to impose their own tariffs on U.S. exports, making American goods more expensive abroad and harming U.S. industries that rely on international markets (e.g., agriculture, technology).
• Weakening International Institutions: Such unilateral actions could further undermine the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other multilateral trade agreements, leading to a more fragmented and less predictable global trading system.
• Shift Towards Regionalization: Countries might increasingly look to form regional trade blocs and diversify their supply chains away from reliance on the U.S. market, accelerating a trend away from globalized production.
• Increased Geopolitical Tensions: Trade disputes can easily spill over into broader diplomatic and geopolitical conflicts, impacting international relations and stability.

The global economy thrives on predictability and open markets. A widespread tariff regime could inject significant uncertainty, discouraging cross-border investment and innovation.

How Import Duties Could Ripple Through Traditional Markets

The direct consequences of these potential import duties will undoubtedly send shockwaves through traditional financial markets. Investors in stocks, bonds, and commodities will need to brace for increased volatility and re-evaluate their portfolios.

Market-Specific Impacts:

• Stock Markets: Expect heightened volatility. Sectors heavily reliant on imported goods (e.g., retail, consumer electronics) could face headwinds due to higher costs and reduced consumer demand. Conversely, some domestic manufacturing or raw materials sectors might see initial gains, but these could be offset by broader economic slowdowns or retaliatory tariffs.
• Bond Markets: A ‘flight to safety’ could occur, driving demand for U.S. Treasury bonds, potentially lowering yields. However, if inflation becomes a significant concern, bond yields might rise to compensate for eroded purchasing power.
• Currency Markets: The U.S. Dollar (USD) might initially strengthen as capital flows into the U.S. seeking safety, or as foreign companies pay more for U.S. goods (if exports are not severely hit). However, persistent trade deficits or economic slowdowns could eventually weaken the dollar.
• Commodities: Prices for raw materials could fluctuate. If global economic growth slows due to trade wars, demand for industrial commodities might fall. Agricultural commodities could be particularly vulnerable to retaliatory tariffs.

Investors should prepare for a period of uncertainty, with a greater emphasis on defensive assets and careful sector analysis.

The Cryptocurrency Market: A Safe Haven or a Stormy Sea?

Now, let’s turn our attention to what matters most to our readers: the cryptocurrency market. How might a significant shift in U.S. trade policy, leading to potential economic instability, impact digital assets?

Arguments for Crypto as a Safe Haven:

• Decentralization: Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin operate outside the traditional financial system, making them less susceptible to direct governmental policy changes or the stability of a single nation’s economy.
• Inflation Hedge: If widespread tariffs lead to significant inflation and devalue fiat currencies, some argue that Bitcoin, with its capped supply, could act as a hedge, similar to ‘digital gold.’
• Flight to Quality: In times of global economic uncertainty and traditional market volatility, investors might seek alternative assets, potentially driving demand for cryptocurrencies.
• Increased Adoption: If traditional banking and payment systems become more cumbersome or expensive due to trade friction, the efficiency and borderless nature of crypto transactions could gain appeal.

Arguments for Crypto Volatility and Correlation:

• Market Correlation: Despite its decentralized nature, the crypto market has shown increasing correlation with traditional equity markets, particularly tech stocks. A downturn in global equities could drag crypto prices down.
• Reduced Disposable Income: If consumers face higher prices and economic hardship, discretionary spending on speculative assets like crypto might decrease.
• Regulatory Scrutiny: Periods of economic stress often lead to increased regulatory scrutiny across all financial sectors, including crypto, which could introduce new uncertainties.
• Liquidity Concerns: In a widespread market panic, even crypto could face liquidity challenges as investors rush to cash out.

Actionable Insights for Crypto Investors:

• Monitor Macro Trends: Pay close attention to inflation data, interest rate decisions, and global trade developments.
• Diversify Wisely: Consider a balanced portfolio that includes both established assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, alongside stablecoins for capital preservation.
• Understand Correlations: Be aware that while crypto offers diversification benefits, it’s not entirely immune to traditional market movements.
• Long-Term Vision: For long-term holders, short-term volatility might present accumulation opportunities.

The overall impact on crypto will likely be complex, a mix of direct and indirect effects. While its decentralized nature offers a unique appeal during economic turbulence, its increasing integration into the broader financial landscape means it won’t be entirely insulated.

Challenges and Opportunities: Navigating the New Economic Landscape

The potential implementation of blanket tariffs presents a dual landscape of significant challenges and emerging opportunities. The challenges are clear: increased inflation, supply chain disruptions, potential trade wars, and market volatility. Businesses will need to adapt quickly, re-evaluating sourcing strategies and potentially absorbing higher costs or passing them to consumers.

However, opportunities may also arise. Domestic industries could experience a resurgence, leading to job creation in specific sectors. Innovation in supply chain management and logistics might accelerate. For the crypto world, this could be a moment for digital assets to prove their mettle as alternative stores of value or efficient cross-border payment mechanisms, especially if traditional systems face increased friction. The necessity of finding new ways to transact and store value, free from geopolitical pressures, could accelerate mainstream adoption of decentralized technologies.

Conclusion: Preparing for an Unpredictable Future

The prospect of new Trump tariffs of 15% or 20% on imports looms large, promising to reshape the economic landscape in profound ways. From consumer prices and corporate profits to the intricate dance of global trade, the economic impact will be felt across every sector. While traditional markets brace for volatility and uncertainty, the cryptocurrency market stands at a crossroads, potentially offering a decentralized alternative or facing its own set of challenges amidst the broader economic shifts. Vigilance, adaptability, and a deep understanding of these evolving dynamics will be crucial for navigating what promises to be an unpredictable future.

Source: CryptoSlate

Investors are still trying to get a grip on tariffs’ impact on the economy and the stock market. As the second quarter’s earnings season gets underway next week, analysts will be laser-focused on how President Donald Trump’s import taxes are affecting corporate bottom lines.

So far, the impact of tariffs has been very muted when it comes to economic data on inflation, consumer spending, and business activity. That’s in part thanks to companies stockpiling inventories that will likely be affected earlier this year. However, firms in affected industries could see higher costs and tighter margins, and those with limited pricing power may be forced to absorb more of the tariffs than their counterparts with wider competitive advantages, which can pass more of those costs on to consumers. Analysts say second-quarter earnings results could show evidence of these trends.

Just as critical for market watchers over the next few weeks will be the resumption of forward earnings guidance, which many firms opted out of in the first quarter, when the policy outlook was changing rapidly.

The Trump administration recently extended its deadline for negotiations with its trading partners to Aug. 1. That means considerable uncertainty remains around the ultimate shape of US trading policy, but there will be plenty of discussion throughout earnings seasons about how companies are preparing for new levies, or how they are handling tariffs that have already been implemented. Here’s what investors need to know.

Watch for an Earnings Slowdown

Analysts expect earnings growth to slow somewhat over the year as tariffs take effect and begin to eat away at corporate balance sheets. Overall, they forecast 5% annual earnings growth for the S&P 500 Index in the second quarter, according to FactSet’s consensus estimates. That’s down from 13% growth in the first quarter. Earnings growth hasn’t been that slow since the fourth quarter of 2023, according to FactSet. Analysts expect 9.4% earnings growth for the calendar year 2025, down from 11% growth in 2024.

That slowdown has implications for investors. “Now is a better time to be doing some profit-taking rather than put new money into the market,” says Dave Sekera, chief US market strategist for Morningstar. Still, earnings often surprise to the upside (and estimates are often revised down ahead of reporting), leading to beats that surpass early estimates. That was the case in the first quarter, when analysts expected 6.8% growth before companies began reporting.

Sector by Sector

That trend won’t be consistent from sector to sector, however. In a note to clients at the end of June, analysts from Goldman Sachs led by David Kostin said they expect a onetime boost to inflation caused by tariffs to weigh more heavily on cyclical sectors, which are sensitive to changes in the economic environment.

FactSet consensus data shows that analysts expect 26% year-over-year declines in earnings in the energy sector of the S&P 500 Index in the second quarter, along with 5.6% declines in the consumer discretionary sector and 3.7% declines in the basic materials sector.

In a bear case for tariffs, Morningstar’s equity research team expects the consumer cyclical and basic materials sectors to be harmed the most. Damien Conover, Morningstar’s director of equity research for North America, explained recently that retail and apparel companies could see a significant hit. “This is a very sweet spot for [tariff damage],” he says. “A very high percentage of that material is manufactured internationally, and [when] hit with tariffs, that’s going to bring down the valuations for these companies.”

Earnings in the communication services sector of the index, on the other hand, are expected to rise nearly 30% in the second quarter, according to FactSet estimates. Analysts are also looking for 16.0% growth in the information technology sector, 3.5% earnings growth in the healthcare sector and 4.5% growth in the utilities sector.

How Long Before Tariffs Are Felt?

Analysts at Goldman Sachs have said they expect “the digestion of tariffs to be a gradual process” rather than a sudden shock to bottom lines. That tracks with other views on Wall Street. For instance, UBS economists don’t expect to see major changes in consumer price data until the July Consumer Price Index report, which will be released in August.

In a recent note to clients, Goldman’s analysts say larger firms in goods related industries appear to have built up more inventory than usual to help weather the impact of new taxes. Preliminary surveys show companies plan to absorb more of the new costs than initially expected. “Recent company commentary shows S&P 500 firms plan to use a combination of cost savings, supplier adjustments, and pricing to offset the impact of tariffs,” they wrote.

Keep an Eye on Guidance

In the first quarter, corporate earnings reports were noticeably light on guidance. Without concrete policy on trade in place, some companies said they weren’t confident enough in the outlook for the near and medium terms to give investors a sense of how the next few years could look.

Sekera thinks this trend could continue through the second-quarter earnings season. He warns that the details of the deals the Trump administration is negotiating this summer remain murky. “It’s still the same outstanding questions that we’ve had,” he says.

He points to FedEx FDX, which did not offer full-year guidance for 2026 when it reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings at the end of June, citing increased macroeconomic uncertainty. It did offer guidance for the upcoming quarter.

In her recent outlook, Schwab chief investment strategist Liz Ann Sonders writes that guidance (and earnings surprises) are likely to take on “heightened importance” over the next few months “as markets remain sensitive to forward-looking commentary, especially amid policy uncertainty and instability related to trade, tariffs, and interest rates.” In other words, big surprises from earnings season could mean big moves in the stock market.

Beyond Tariffs

While the situation around US trade policy is still evolving, Sekera says he’ll be focusing on the fundamentals. In the early days of earnings season, he’ll see whether big banks are bulking up their loan loss reserves—a sign that they expect the economy to slow. He’ll be watching semiconductor maker ASML Holding ASML for clues about demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure from mega-cap tech companies, which could give investors an early read on the AI landscape overall. Meanwhile, Pepsi’s PEP results could provide a window into how new weight-loss drugs are affecting the food and drink industry.

Source: Morningstar

The changing face of the UK bond market is making gilts a source of vulnerability for the government at a moment when it most needs stability.

This week alone, Britain’s central bank and fiscal watchdog have both warned of the dangers of a structural change in demand that leaves the bonds at risk of more extreme moves, or even fire sales.

The message was clear: a market once dominated by steady buyers like pension funds and the Bank of England is now dangerously exposed to the whims of flightier players such as hedge funds and foreign investors.

The problem for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves is that the shift comes at a time when they have linked their government’s economic policy directly to the trajectory of gilt yields by sailing so close to limits of self-imposed fiscal rules.

That leaves their entire agenda at the mercy of a fickle market and heightens focus on any change in fiscal policy. Numerous flip flops haven’t helped, but the reason concerns get so quickly amplified into major bond volatility lies in an under-the-hood change in the investor base.

“The UK is facing the biggest shift in structural supply and demand globally,” said Liam O’Donnell, a fund manager at Artemis Investment Management. “If I look at the biggest buyers of gilts over the last 10 to 15 years, two of them are no longer in the market.”

In the years that followed the seismic gilt market selloff that contributed to the fall of Liz Truss’s government in 2022, the securities have proved vulnerable to any sniff of fiscal excess. The latest example came just last week, when rumors of a change of Chancellor sparked a spike in yields.

But even when the problems stem from elsewhere, the UK market gets hit hard, speaking to a deeper issue.

For decades, the UK could rely on near-insatiable demand from defined-benefit pension funds looking to match their liabilities with long-dated gilts. Yet their purchases have been dissipating at the same time as the BOE — which accumulated close to £1 trillion ($1.4 trillion) of gilts through its quantitative-easing program — has been selling down its holdings, increasing the supply of bonds as the government also seeks to borrow more.

The daunting supply combined with the withdrawal of the two largest buyers means others need to pick up the slack. Funds with global mandates are stepping in, but having been burned by UK market meltdowns in recent years from Brexit to Truss’s gilt crisis, their appetite is more price-dependent.

“The UK requires investment in the country, and I don’t think that can be relied on when the political backdrop has been such a mess,” Artemis’s O’Donnell said.

While these developments aren’t unique to the UK, in many regards the nation is at the forefront of a global change in bond-market structure. Britain is also in a particularly tight spot due to the government’s self-imposed fiscal rules. Reeves left only a £10 billion buffer against these red lines in a March fiscal statement. Since then, U-turns on spending cuts, slow growth, weak tax receipts and higher spending demands mean she is now in the red, potentially by tens of billions.

That makes movements in gilt yields — a key input into the fiscal rules since they reflect government borrowing costs — extremely pertinent. At longer maturities in particular they remain stubbornly high, and this precarious budget arithmetic has already led to a series of embarrassing policy U-turns for the government.

Worryingly for policymakers, gilt yields are proving prone to sudden spikes. In the autumn, a rapid jump stole attention away from Reeves’ first budget. Then in January, 30-year borrowing costs hit the highest since 1998, triggering further unwanted headlines for the government and teeing up a fiscal tightening in March. The market ructions caused by Donald Trump’s tariff announcements in April also hit gilts hard, pushing yields even higher.

“Low liquidity and a positional skew mean moves of a much greater magnitude than necessarily justified by the newsflow,” said James Athey, a fund manager at Marlborough Investment Management Ltd. “The ultimate cause is that supply of gilts is massive” and the government’s “budgetary maths are awful.”

Britain’s fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility warned Tuesday that the government was becoming more exposed to foreign investors because of waning pension demand. One of its models suggested the shift could add 0.8 percentage points to interest rates on government debt.

Some investors also point to the to the growth of hedge-fund strategies as increasing volatility. Their activity as a percentage of total volume in gilts on the Tradeweb platform was 59% in the first five months of 2025. That’s higher than peers in Europe and the US, and up from 44% in 2020.

The BOE mapped out similar concerns on Wednesday, warning a rapid unwinding of their trades poses a risk to financial stability. Governor Andrew Bailey cited last week’s moves as the latest evidence that “we are living in a period of more volatile markets.”

Source: Bloomberg Europe

Chinese authorities have proposed an important breakthrough in terms of stablecoins and digital currencies.

The move indicates that China has possibly softened a historically hardline approach on cryptocurrency trading and mining.

This was considered in a meeting in Shanghai this week by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC).

Shanghai Takes the Lead in Crypto Policy Discussions, Stablecoins in Focus

Shanghai, recognized as China’s primary financial hub, is at the center of this policy review. According to reports, the Shanghai SASAC organized a meeting earlier this week to discuss strategic responses to digital currencies, particularly stablecoins.

The discussion united several top government representatives and experts to examine possible policy developments based on the new asset class.

In his speech to the meeting, He Qing, director of the SASAC, stated:

The gathering had an attendance of nearly 60-70 people, which was an indicator of a wide scope of government interest relating to the subject matter.

During the session, scholars discussed the features and issues surrounding stablecoins and cryptocurrencies, providing recommendations regarding how the nation can embrace these digital currencies in the future.

Growing Regulatory Pressure and Adoption For Stablecoins

The move by China is also under pressure as domestic enterprises and international financial trends rise.

Well-established companies in China like JD.com and Ant Group are clamoring to move forward to establish a yuan-backed stablecoin and await the approval of the People Bank of China (PBoC).

These firms have attempted to provide stablecoins with an attempt to offset the U.S dollar-based cryptocurrency dominance on the world markets.

The Shanghai summit is also an indication of the interest that China is taking in the evolution of digital currencies with respect to the rising interest in cryptocurrencies across the globe.

Specifically, companies like JD.com and Ant Group are actively pursuing the possibility of obtaining stablecoin licenses in Hong Kong.

On August 1, the city will be introducing new rules regarding stablecoins, allowing legal frameworks regarding these projects.

Challenges and Regulatory Concerns Remain

Nevertheless, the central bank in China remains wary despite seeming openness to digital currencies.

Recently, Pan Gongsheng, Governor of the People’s Bank of China, spoke out, warning of the threats that digital currencies and stablecoins present to financial regulation.

During a statement made last month, Pan was emphatic about the dangers that these digital assets pose to the financial system of China.

This is in light of issues of monetary stability and the likelihood of digital currencies being used in criminal processes.

In 2021, China enacted a ban on trading and mining of cryptocurrencies to address these concerns. The prohibition also formed part of an attempt to exert control over the financial system and to diminish speculative trading.

Although the country has maintained a tough tone on cryptocurrencies, this new change of tone indicates that regulators could be changing their tone. Besides, it also comes amid soaring global interest in the digital assets space.

Shanghai’s Role as a Testbed for Crypto Regulations

Traditionally, Shanghai has remained a key hub in conducting financial reforms in China. The city, being the main international financial center in the country, receives increased authorization to come up with new policies.

Such flexibility has the potential to make Shanghai an experimental ground for new regulation in regards to stablecoins and digital currencies. With such policies being successful, they could be used as an example to the remaining part of the country.

Although the regulatory debate is just starting up in Shanghai, its leadership role in financial innovation makes the city a possible centre for forming China’s digital currency regulations.

Ongoing Developments in Cryptocurrency Enforcement

Even as China considers a policy shift, the government continues to enforce its ban on cryptocurrency trading and mining.

Chinese regulators have recently targeted one of the largest crypto exchange fraud schemes and confiscated approximately movable assets worth $300 million.

The crackdown emphasizes the continuing stride by China to fight the illegal uses of cryptocurrencies despite the recently increased interest in digital currencies.

The regulators have been keen on reducing illicit deals and fraudulent practices in the crypto world.

Panshi City Public Security Bureau of Jilin Province took the lead in the investigation, and a network of illegal transactions with virtual currencies was unveiled.

This raid, resulting in multiple arrests, serves to signal the fact that, despite China taking its steps towards a softer stance on digital assets, its efforts to avoid fraudulent and illegal practices have not been neglected.

Source: CryptoSlate

In the past 15 years, hundreds of factories with thousands of new jobs have popped up along the Interstate 35 corridor in central Texas. Among them is a $17 billion plant under construction by Samsung Austin Semiconductor in Williamson County, north of the state capital. It won’t open until next year, but it’s already set off a mini building boom among potential suppliers and other South Korean companies that want to be nearby. Beyond proximity to the new plant, industrial companies are drawn to the region for its cheap land, light regulatory touch, lack of corporate income tax and—increasingly—a local population with the know-how to perform complicated manufacturing processes.

Many of the workers who join that plant (and others in the state) will likely have gone through the labs and classrooms at Texas State Technical College, a vocational school with its flagship campus in Waco, about halfway between Austin and Dallas. There, and at TSTC’s 10 other locations, students train for careers running the array of systems that power modern factories and other industrial facilities, often learning on the same equipment they’ll find on the job. They can earn a certificate in as few as two semesters and an associate degree in four; others already in the industry sign up for shorter programs to refine their skills midcareer.

The school consults with manufacturers, trade groups and economic development authorities across Texas to shape its curricula and make sure it’s teaching the skills employers want in their labor pool. For instance, after Covid-19 hastened the push toward automation, says Roger Snow, TSTC’s dean of manufacturing, the school has tried to better prepare students for that type of work. Manufacturers, he says, are increasingly looking to combine production lines to boost efficiency, monitor them to identify slowdowns and layer on artificial intelligence to predict maintenance needs. “We do teach some level of that, how sensors work and things like that, but we’re increasing,” Snow says. “We’re adding a new class this year that deals with the holistic element of how all of this communication works.”

TSTC is drawing more students studying how to install, program and operate robots and other sophisticated electronic equipment. But the centerpiece of the school’s manufacturing education is its industrial systems program, which it is revamping and rebranding as “industrial maintenance” starting this fall. “Manufacturing, whether you’re making a silicon wafer, cement or cosmetics for Mary Kay—the equipment they’re using to do that has always had a lot of commonalities,” says Donald Goforth, who teaches basic hydraulics, pneumatics and other systems in the program. “Anything that rotates or moves has a shaft and has bearings,” he says, and “no matter how much AI you put on the piece of equipment, somebody still has to go out there and actually turn the screwdriver or turn the wrench to make the repairs.” When these students graduate, Goforth says, they’ll be able to find jobs in “any industry that builds anything.”

Vocational schools have long held an important role in the US educational system, teaching the practical skills (automotive repair, health care) that keep the everyday economy running. As the cost of college climbs and more students question the value of a bachelor’s degree, trade schools are becoming increasingly popular. Public two-year schools with a major focus on career and technical education programs have seen a 19% bump in enrollment since 2020, data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center show. President Donald Trump expressed support for vocational education in May, when he threatened to divert Harvard University’s billions in federal grant dollars to US trade schools. In a December survey by Data for Progress, a left-leaning think tank, 78% of likely US voters said they had a favorable opinion of trade or technical colleges, compared with only 48% who said the same about Ivy League institutions.

Enrolling more students in technical programs like TSTC’s will be crucial if the US wants to bring back manufacturing jobs and keep pace with its international rivals. In China, for instance, President Xi Jinping has urged more young people to forgo a college degree and instead attend a vocational school, in a bid to boost its pipeline of skilled laborers. (Xi oversaw a trade school while serving as party secretary in Fuzhou in the 1990s.) The country has said it aims to increase the number of vocational programs, with a goal of making them “world leading” in about a decade.

There are more than 400,000 open manufacturing industry jobs in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics—more than the number of unfilled construction and information roles combined. If the Trump administration succeeds in its push to reshore manufacturing, in part by raising tariffs on overseas suppliers, the number of manufacturing positions would only grow.

Jasmine Olivar, 19, says she opted to enroll in the industrial systems program after realizing the job market for graphic design, her high school passion, “is so oversaturated.” (The money-back guarantee the program offers didn’t hurt.) After she earns her associate degree, she plans to take a job in the Waco area. “There are many, many companies around here that are hiring straight from my program that have even come here and talked to us directly,” she says.

Snow says only a lack of seats has kept the manufacturing programs from growing faster. TSTC recently closed a culinary arts program at its outpost in Williamson County, to expand the industrial maintenance courses students want. This year it broke ground on a nearly 71,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence to train even more students. Besides expanded industrial maintenance and precision machining classes, the center will host a new semiconductor manufacturing program. When it opens in 2027, TSTC will triple its capacity in the county for students entering manufacturing trades. Although Samsung didn’t help fund the expansion, the company is planning to tap graduates to fill roles at the plant being developed just a few miles away. As Kwee Lan Teo, head of workforce development at Samsung Austin Semiconductor, said when the school broke ground on the site: “We love the students and hire the students.”

Last year almost 900 TSTC students earned either a certificate or a degree in one of 10 manufacturing programs. Most of them, Snow says, will have no trouble finding a good-paying job. “If you don’t get multiple job offers,” he says, “it’s probably something you’re doing wrong.”

Source: Bloomberg Europe

The S&P 500 is little changed so far this week, but the benchmark stock index has surged 26% since April to all-time high levels.

Stocks this week largely shrugged off President Donald Trump's threats of more aggressive tariffs on over 20 countries set to take effect August 1. Trump also announced plans for higher levies on copper, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.

"Investors are looking toward the end of the year into next year where fundamentals are better, and they are willing to look through some short-term uncertainty as they get there," said Chris Fasciano, chief market strategist at Commonwealth Financial Network.

After a strong first-quarter reporting season helped lift stocks, analyst estimates for second-quarter results have weakened. S&P 500 companies are expected to have increased profits by 5.8% from the year-earlier period, down from an expectation of a 10.2% gain on April 1, according to LSEG IBES.

The percentage of S&P 500 companies beating consensus estimates rose to 78% in the first quarter after the rate had declined the prior three quarters, Ned Davis Research analysts said.

"Another reading in the upper 70s would suggest that companies have a grasp not only on tariffs, but also on the broader macro environment," the Ned Davis analysts said in a note.

Reports from banks will dominate the week, including results from JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. Among the other major companies reporting next week are Netflix, Johnson & Johnson and 3M.

In focus will be whether executives indicate if they are able to forecast and make decisions in areas such as capital investment and hiring despite the still-shifting trade backdrop, Fasciano said.

"The uncertainty hasn't gone away, but I'm curious to see how much of the uncertainty they feel they have a better understanding of in terms of longer-term plans," Fasciano said.

The impact of tariffs will also be at issue with the consumer price index for June, due on Tuesday, which will shed light on inflation trends. CPI is expected to increase 0.3% on a monthly basis, an acceleration from the prior month, according to economists polled by Reuters. A busy week of economic data will also be highlighted by monthly retail sales on Thursday.

Investors are eager for the Federal Reserve to resume interest rate cuts, but central bank officials have cited worries that tariffs will drive inflation higher as reasons for holding off on changing monetary policy.

Source: Yahoo Finance