Commodities, Business & Shipping (and Tariffs)

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‘Tariff engineering’ is making a comeback as businesses employ creative ways to skirt higher duties​

  • Global manufacturers are rethinking their products design, tapping into a legal technique known as “tariff engineering” to lower tariff costs.
  • The practice involves changing the item’s materials, altering its dimensions or compositions.
  • Tariff engineering is legal, as long as the changes genuinely alter the product’s characteristics.
Would you be bothered if your coat was officially classified as a windbreaker or a raincoat, or your shoes as slippers? Businesses do care though, as classifications under a preferred category can help them pay lower tariff rates.

As U.S. President Donald Trump imposes duties on friends and foes alike, manufacturers are increasingly rethinking the classification of their products and resorting to “tariff engineering” to incur lower duties, several customs lawyers, supply chain and shipping experts told CNBC.

Tariff engineering — a practice that precedes Trump — involves changing an item’s materials, altering its dimensions or compositions so that the finished products can be justified to fit in a different “harmonized system code,” legal experts said.

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searcher said:

Will there be a Trump tariff refund?​

The federal court ruling aimed at striking down the majority of President Donald Trump's tariffs could force the government to pay back billions of dollars in import duties that have already been collected.

Newsweek has reached out to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency responsible for administering tariffs and collecting duties, for comment.

What To Know​

On Wednesday, a three-judge panel at the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) did not grant the president authority to impose his sweeping tariffs or bypass Congress' typical control over economic policy and commerce. The 1977 law was cited by Trump as justification for the majority of his tariffs, most notably those unveiled on "Liberation Day" in early April.

"The court does not read IEEPA to confer such unbounded authority and sets aside the challenged tariffs imposed thereunder," the ruling read.

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...S&cvid=5aa22afd8e414db2b92f1b2e39628891&ei=23
Click to expand...

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www.scotusblog.com

Businesses challenge Trump’s tariffs before Supreme Court

Citing the “paralyzing uncertainty” created when tariffs are “added and subtracted at will,” two small businesses came to the Supreme Court on Tuesday asking the justices to quickly weigh in […]
www.scotusblog.com www.scotusblog.com
 
Weekly scrap report

Copper Slips But Stays Bullish 💰 | Catalytic Converters Surge & Steel Drops!​

📈 Check Scrap Prices: https://iScrapApp.com/ - Join us as we break down the latest in the scrap metal market, with copper once again stealing the spotlight—even as prices dip slightly. Despite geopolitical tensions between Iran and Israel and softening steel markets, copper’s long-term outlook remains bullish. Get the insights you need to stay ahead in the industry!
👉 Read more: https://iscrapapp.com/blog/weekly-scr...

Copper Slips But Stays Bullish 💰 | Catalytic Converters Surge & Steel
 

A lesson for the West? Japan was better prepared than most for China’s rare-earth mineral squeeze​

  • Japan changed its approach to supply chain resiliency after becoming a canary in the coalmine for China's mineral dominance.
  • Alongside stockpiling, recycling and promoting alternative technologies, Japan has since invested heavily into non-China rare-earth projects.
  • Tokyo's transformation is seen as both a template for Western nations — and a stark reminder of just how difficult it is to escape China's critical mineral orbit.
Japan has been quietly blazing a trail for supply chain resilience.

Long before China in early April imposed an export ban on several rare earth elements and magnets widely used in the automotive, robotics and defense sectors, Japan became something of a canary in the coal mine for Beijing's mineral dominance.

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https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mar...-mineral-squeeze/ar-AA1H5ePX?ocid=socialshare
 

Cattle placements down 10% for May | Weekly Livestock Market Update​

Jun 20, 2025 #cattle #placements #agriculture
In this episode, Meghan Grebner and Kenny Burdine discuss the current state of the livestock market, focusing on cattle and hogs. They analyze market trends, the impact of labor on slaughter rates, and the implications of the ongoing ban on live cattle imports from Mexico. The conversation also delves into beef cow slaughter dynamics and the future outlook for cattle on feed, emphasizing the importance of herd health and market conditions.

Cattle placements down 10% for May | Weekly Livestock Market
 

The Week Ahead: What’s next after U.S. strikes on Iran and Europe’s 5% defense problem​

  • This is your weekly lookahead at the key global events that could move markets and shape policy.
  • NATO leaders meet in The Hague with U.S. President Donald Trump expected to ramp up pressure on Europe over defense spending.
  • Summer Davos kicks off in Tianjin amid China-U.S. trade tensions, while Germany hosts its Day of Industry as economic sentiment improves.
After a week of global market jitters, the reaction to U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities will be front and center over the coming days. Meanwhile, a trio of heavyweight events could also shape the economic and geopolitical mood. From NATO tensions in The Hague to trade talks in Tianjin and industrial optimism in Berlin — investors will be watching closely.

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Threat to commercial shipping around Arabian Peninsula is rising, largest global shipowners organization warns​

The world’s largest direct-membership organization for shipowners, charterers, shipbrokers, and agents is warning that while it is still unclear how Iran will respond to Saturday’s U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the threat to commercial shipping in the waters around the Arabian Peninsula has risen.

“The Houthi threat against shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has also gone up,” said Jakob Larsen, head of security at Bimco, which represents global shipowners. “The Houthis now threaten merchant ships with affiliation to Israel or the U.S., but attacks against merchant ships with other affiliations cannot be ruled out.”

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How To Buy Shipping Stocks? | Shipping Investor Shares His Investment Process​

Jun 22, 2025 Shipping
How to start investing in the stock market? Shipping investor Joakim Hannisdahl shares his lessons from being an investor in the shipping industry, and why shipping investing is not like other sectors. He argues you may need to short stocks in order to deliver solid returns since the shipping industry is cyclical and unpredictable. How do you trade shipping?

How To Buy Shipping Stocks? | Shipping Investor Shares His
 
gcaptain.com

What Is The Strait Of Hormuz And Why Is It So Important For Oil?

June 22 (Reuters) – Iran’s top security body must make the final decision on whether to close the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian TV said on Sunday, after parliament reportedly backed the measure...
gcaptain.com gcaptain.com

gcaptain.com

Greece Tells Ships To Reassess Hormuz Journeys After US Strikes

By Alex Longley and Viktoria Dendrinou Jun 22, 2025 (Bloomberg) –Greece’s shipping ministry advised the nation’s vessel owners to review the use of the Strait of Hormuz after the US conducted...
gcaptain.com gcaptain.com

gcaptain.com

Shipping On High Alert In Mideast After US Strikes On Iran

By Alex Longley and Viktoria Dendrinou Jun 22, 2025, 5:10 AM (Bloomberg) –The shipping industry was placed on high alert on Sunday with warnings that Tehran could retaliate against commercial vessels...
gcaptain.com gcaptain.com
 

Dow futures slide 200 points as oil rises following U.S. bombing of Iran: Live updates​

Stock futures fell ahead of Monday’s session after the United States entered Israel’s war against Iran over the weekend by striking 3 nuclear sites, a move by President Donald Trump that raised oil prices and risked a bigger conflict in the Middle East.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 257 points, or 0.6%. S&P 500 futures shed 0.6% and Nasdaq 100 futures lost 0.7%.

The U.S. launched attacks Saturday at Iranian sites in Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz, surprising investors who were expecting more diplomacy to possibly take place after Trump said on Friday that he would make a decision to attack Iran “within the next two weeks,” according to the White House.

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Morning Bid: Now the ball is in Iran's court​

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Wayne Cole

As if there wasn't enough uncertainty in the world already, President Trump has to get the United States embroiled in another Middle East conflict. It's not often a president announces an attack on another country via social media, or that the word "bombs" is used in all caps.

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Stocks futures tick higher despite the U.S. bombing of Iran as oil increase is muted: Live updates​

Stock futures rose slightly on Monday even after the United States entered Israel’s war against Iran over the weekend by striking three nuclear sites as the increase in oil prices was relatively tame.

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 49 points, or 0.1% after beginning the overnight session in the red. S&P 500 futures added 0.2% and Nasdaq-100 futures moved up 0.2%.

The U.S. launched attacks Saturday at Iranian sites in Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz, surprising investors who were expecting more diplomacy to possibly take place after Trump said on Friday that he would make a decision to attack Iran “within the next two weeks,” according to the White House.

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splash247.com

ClarkSea Index hits year-high ahead of American strikes on Iran - Splash247

The cross-sector ClarkSea Index, a weighted average of tanker, bulk carrier, containership and gas carrier earnings managed by Clarksons Research, hit a new high for 2025 on Friday, ahead of the decision by the US to strike Iran, something that will likely see the index, seen as a key shipping...
splash247.com splash247.com
 

Dow rises more than 350 points Monday as oil slides on Iran’s restrained retaliation to U.S. attacks: Live updates​

Stocks rose and crude prices tumbled Monday as investors breathed a sigh of relief that Iran’s response to the U.S. attacks over the weekend was more restrained than expected.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 374.96 points, or 0.89%, ending at 42,581.78. The S&P 500 gained 0.96% and closed at 6,025.17, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.94% and settled at 19,630.97.

Iran’s armed forces said Monday they attacked an American base in Qatar after the U.S. destroyed Iranian nuclear sites in Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz over the weekend. The response, however, was intercepted by Qatar and no casualties were reported.

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