U.S. Stocks Decline Amid Tariff Uncertainty and Economic Talks

ATLANTA, Ga. — U.S. stocks fell sharply on Thursday as anxiety returned to Wall Street following a brief surge after the announcement of a 90-day pause on tariffs by President Donald Trump.

Business owners are increasingly expressing concern over the ongoing uncertainty in trade policies, which they say is affecting their operations and financial outlook. Many are left wondering if recent actions will yield beneficial outcomes in the long run.

Only a day after tariffs affecting nearly 90 countries took effect, Trump announced a temporary pause. His administration is expected to convene to deliberate the future of these trade measures.

“The pause was based on good faith conversations. I was on the call with the President of Switzerland that was incredibly congenial,” said Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council.

The European Union also announced on Thursday that it would suspend retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, prompting relief among some Atlanta business owners.

Melvin Adams, owner of Atlantucky Brewery, noted the potential impacts on his business. “As far as grains and aluminums for the cans, that is where we think Atlantucky would be affected the most. We’re not alone. We realize we’re all here dealing with changes, and we just hope all of these changes are for the better in the long run,” Adams said.

While tariffs on goods from multiple countries may be paused, China‘s tariffs remain in effect, imposing rates as high as 84% on U.S. products. In retaliation, Trump has increased tariffs on various Chinese goods to up to 125%.

When asked about the ongoing negotiation with China, Trump stated, “Look, for years we’ve been ripped off and taken advantage of by China and others, in all fairness, but by China there’s, that’s a big one.”

Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock (D) recently urged Congress to intervene in what he described as the ‘madness’ of current tariff policies, arguing that they serve as a tax on Georgians, likely driving up consumer prices.

With the announcement of the tariff pause, those countries that were subjected to reciprocal tariffs will revert to baseline tariffs of 10%.