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Tariff Costs Put New Pressure on U.S. Corporate Profits

Rising tariff expenses are beginning to weigh heavily on U.S. companies, prompting executives across multiple industries to warn that profit margins may tighten in the months ahead. Many firms had initially suggested they could manage the added costs through efficiency improvements or selective price increases, but that confidence is fading as import-related expenses continue to climb. Companies that rely on global supply chains are feeling the strain most acutely. Higher costs on imported materials and components are forcing difficult decisions: pass the increases on to consumers, risking weaker demand, or absorb the costs internally, which directly erodes profitability. For many businesses, neither option is attractive. Consumer-facing brands are finding it especially challenging to raise prices further, as shoppers show growing sensitivity to even modest increases. This resistance limits the ability of firms to offset tariff-driven expenses, creating a squeeze that is beginning t...

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Stocks Rebound After Inflation Report


The stock market made a comeback today after a hot inflation print. The S&P 500, which had been down as much as 0.8% during the session, closed just under the flatline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq Composite hovered slightly above breakeven. 

Interest rate sensitive sectors lagged the most, with real estate and utility stocks ending the session lower. The US consumer inflation reading for December showed a slightly bigger jump than expected, as prices ticked up 0.3% month over month and 3.4% year over year. On a “core” basis, which excludes the volatile food and energy categories, inflation rose 3.9% over the past year. The print was seen as critical for traders who have been increasingly pricing in the odds of a “soft landing” — where inflation retreats to 2% without an economic downturn — since the last CPI report.


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