Increasing signs indicate that under the uncertainty brought by tariffs and immigration policies in the Trump 2.0 era, American retailers and importers are continuously ramping up their stockpiling efforts.
Data shows that as businesses hasten imports to avoid potential tariff hikes and disruptions related to strikes at backup ports, the number of imported containers handled by the busiest maritime trade center in the U.S. is steadily surging.
Last month, the Port of Los Angeles handled 462,740 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in imports. According to port data, it also processed 122,716 TEUs in exports and 319,570 empty containers that month.
Nearby, the Port of Long Beach processed nearly one million import, export, and empty containers in October, breaking the record set two months earlier.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach together account for about one-third of the total container imports in the U.S. This year, they are experiencing the busiest peak season in history—arriving earlier and lasting longer than in previous years. In July, August, and September, the number of vessels docking at San Pedro Bay reached an all-time high, and the Port of Los Angeles processed the highest number of containers in 116 years during this season.
In October, Southern California ports handled a total of 950,303 imported containers, just shy of the record 980,450 containers set in May 2021. Pandemic-driven demand for consumer goods and supply chain disruptions led to a massive backlog of vessels at sea and containers piled up at the docks.
At the same time, merchants in Yiwu, China, are among those concerned with international events. The changing global landscape often creates ripples in the market. Recently, it was Trump who stirred the Yiwu market. Although he won’t officially take office until January, he has already raised the prospect of imposing tariffs, announcing a potential 60% tax on Chinese products. Just as Yiwu merchants were contemplating their strategies, an unexpected wave of demand surged in.
“Business has improved recently,” said a shop owner in Yiwu. “In October, sales were up about 16% year-on-year, and November is even better, with an increase of 20-30%. This is partly due to the rising demand for overseas Christmas and New Year products, and many foreign merchants are stockpiling.” The owner noted a particularly striking trend with several American supermarket clients who expressed a need to stock up in anticipation of next year’s tariff increases.
Another trade company owner, who has his shoe factory in Yiwu and whose customers are primarily in the U.S., also experienced this influx. “Recently, U.S. supermarket clients have all asked to stock up, fearing that tariffs will increase next year. Now, the order volume is about 50% higher than before.” Additionally, relatively low shipping costs have accelerated overseas clients’ ordering pace. “Shipping prices are currently quite cheap, making it a good time to increase orders.”
With some time left before the official announcement of tariffs, many Wall Street investors have capitalized on this wave by trading domestic and foreign stocks related to industries impacted by increased tariffs, achieving significant returns. How can ordinary investors adjust their portfolios in response to this trend?
Especially in the current turbulent U.S. economic environment, ordinary investors face even greater challenges when making investment decisions. What strategies can help them optimize their investment approaches?
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