The Financial Times discusses tariff rollbacks. 
The FT is paywalled but there is some US reporting.
Trump Trade Team Working to Narrow Scope of Metals Tariffs
Bloomberg reports Trump Trade Team Working to Narrow Scope of Metals Tariffs
The Trump administration is working to narrow its broad tariffs on steel and aluminum products that companies find difficult to calculate and the European Union wants reined in as part of its pending trade deal with the US, a person familiar with the matter said.
The Office of the US Trade Representative is scrambling to resolve complications spawned last year by the Commerce Department’s efforts to rush out President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda, the person said.
The White House has communicated to companies that adjustments are in the works, but details and timing remain unclear, the person said.
The rollback plans were reported earlier by the Financial Times. Aluminum and other metals fell following the report, while shares of US steelmakers and aluminum producers sank.
The effort comes as Trump is grappling with low approval ratings on the economy from Americans who are anxious about the cost of living, a dynamic that poses a major political risk for his fellow Republicans in November’s midterm elections.
50% Levies
Trump last year imposed a 50% levy on foreign steel and aluminum in a measure aimed at Chinese overcapacity. The step wound up hitting other major trading partners hard, including Canada, the EU, Mexico and South Korea.
Later added to the list were so-called derivative products that contained the metals, creating an arduous task for companies to identify the percentage of the materials in goods they sourced from overseas.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer acknowledged two months ago that “there’s some complexity” with the derivatives tariffs and that he’s heard from “a lot of folks.”
Trump’s taxes on US imports have also come under increased scrutiny this week in Congress, where the House voted to roll back his duties on Canadian products. Separate reports by the Congressional Budget Office and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said American consumers and businesses are shouldering most of the costs of his tariffs. That runs counter to the president’s repeated assertions that they’re paid by foreign exporters.
Trump Could Reduce Steel And Aluminum Tariffs And These Stocks Are Responding
Investor’s Business Daily reports Trump Could Reduce Steel And Aluminum Tariffs And These Stocks Are Responding
President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to reduce some steel and aluminum tariffs, according to a Financial Times article Friday. Several U.S.-listed steel and aluminum stocks fell at the stock market open on Friday.
Trump’s decision cut tariffs on some aluminum and steel goods comes as the president battles an affordability crisis, the Financial Times reports. The White House is currently reviewing products affected by the up-to-50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and plans to exempt some items and launch more targeted security probes into specific goods, according to the report.
Following the report, steel and aluminum producer stocks fell prior to regular stock market action on Friday.
Steelmakers Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) and Nucor (NUE) declined more than 6% and 4%, respectively. Steel Dynamics (STLD) fell 5.3% in stock market trade.
Meanwhile, aluminum producer Century Aluminum (CENX) sank 11%. Alcoa (AA) declined around 4%.
Another TACO in the Works
This TACO was expected, and long overdue. Steel and especially aluminum tariffs are very damaging.
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This is No Surprise . . . Its not Rocket Science . . . Tariffs are back firing . . .
“Later added to the list were so-called derivative products that contained the metals, creating an arduous task for companies to identify the percentage of the materials in goods they sourced from overseas.”
This was our companies problem. We were trying to ship parts in from the UK office to the US. The shipment was held up in customs because the parts (finished product) contains aluminum ( <5% of the product was aluminum). Customs said we had to fill out forms indicating *where* the aluminum was mined and then smelted (if different countries). We had literally no idea since no one tracks that when they buy aluminum parts to put into a larger finished product. So our stuff sat in Customs until it finally got returned to the UK. Even when we offered to pay the highest tariff possible on Aluminum we were told no, they still needed the paper work on where it came from.
I doubt we were the only company in this situation.
He’s scared of mid terms. That is the only reason.
Exactly. With luck, senility will unraveling his clown-show, and he’ll get hammered in November
Dare to dream. But then the problem remains that the dems are worse, but at least they’re not mean spirited ignorants
Too bad that Trump is not up for re-election in November. He would get clobbered against a middle of the road Democrat.
our dear Pederast of The United States and Commander in Chief of Diddling, keeps on delivering wins. so much winning we want it to stop.
As the saying goes:
No matter how cynical I try to be, I just can’t keep up.
WISH I HAD A SILVER COIN FOR EVERY AMERIKAN WITH A BUSINESS DEGREE WHO TOLD ME CHINA WAS A PAPER TIGER…………….FOR THE PAST 35 YEARS.
If the trend line from 2018 continues at the current slope, China will have $0 in T-BIlls in seven years, by 2033.
They will keep some as memento’s/collectible’s, like confederate bonds.
That can only happen if they start their own currency they are selling treasuries because the need of cash….
just think of this they want to sell cars but Canada only has dollars now what…and another country like Mexico does not want yuan go ahead tell me how you solve the riddle…and no gold please remember they don’t want to sell the gold…
you obviously are ignorant or just a troll playing a moron.
It takes one to know one…..
e
What’s the point of holding treasury/USD if China can’t buy what it wants.
By holding hundreds of billion of USD, China is at the mercy of US.
So sell treasury/USD and holding gold makes much more sense.
exactly, that other kid is confused. put a dunce cap on him and stair into the corner.
And to think that some commenters here who think of themselves as really smart not only voted for this farse (some up to 3 times), but continue to gleefully lick the boot.
Now now – we all know it’s due to TACO
Inflation you say? Trump coin is having a bit of a rally in the midst of this crypto winter:
https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/official-trump/
Somebody made a payment. Seems likely they’d be in the metals business.
— This TACO was expected, and long overdue. Steel and especially aluminum tariffs are very damaging. —
Yes – not certain who is giving/pushing the advice
I truly do not understand how the US Consumer is not screaming about the tariffs – it is now Obvious and not able to be refuted – that the tariffs are paid 80% – often 96% by the US – A Consumption Tax – a VAT tax – paid for by the US population
It appears ‘ propaganda ‘ has the US consumer confused and willing to pay
If Trump tried to raise their personal income taxes – After Giving Corporations a Windfall in the BBB ( Big Beautiful Bill ) – it would never happen
– but it appears this was the perfect way to make the US consumer pay for the BBB Corporate tax breaks
As I have said for nearly a year now
Everything All at Once and At the Same Time
with apparently no one asking – if we do this what happens 6 months from now
Everything appears to be geared toward a short term win and a headline – with no concern of the future – whether that be the next year or the next generation
If your head is spinning – as mine is – you have to imagine Trump’s is too –
It appears like everything is suggested – nothing is completed – appears to get bored with the results – so a change of direction
Noting : Foreign Policy is just a disaster for future generations – all appearances are pushing away allies, strengthening rivals – destroying the United Nations
– when and if the US becomes weaker future generations may be begging for the UN begging to get fair treatment – Begging for a Common Court.
And No One Seems to Care.
Our greatest fear is in the future – if Russia and China treat the US the way the US treats them now – we may be in for some terribly difficult times.
Governor Trump don’t know the difference between shit n sugar. The mans about as bright as a dark night.
But but but
–He stopped the war between Thighland and Camobida
–And the one between Abeberbaijan and Albania
–And he’s tough on Spain, since they are the “s” in Brics
It sounds kind of duh, but make no mistake:
That’s the genius secret sauce in his art of being the greatest 5D Deal ever.
About time, particularly for aluminum. We import roughly half of the aluminum we consume. A 50% tariff on aluminum was a minor positive for the remaining US aluminum producers as it allowed them to raise prices. It even incentivized one of them to restart a tiny bit of production that had been shuttered as it was no longer profitable.
And one completely new aluminum smelter is in the works, though no final investment decision has been made yet. Any new aluminum smelter requires massive incentives, including a guaranteed long term (20-30 year) electricity supply at a price of 3 or 4 cents per kwh, compared to current prices of 10+ cents. Or a guarantee of 20-30 years of 50% tariffs.
preach papadave. you are the best. hat tip to you.
Can’t they run that current through the smelter first and then the AI chips, or vice versa, run it through the chips and use the process heat to smelt.
Tariffs for Trump are like the upvoting and downvoting buttons in these comments. Something happens you don’t like, someone (like Mark Carney) says something you don’t like, downvote by increasing tariffs. Someone says something you like, lower their tariff rate. It changes almost daily with no rhyme or reason at all.
It’s all about ‘muh feelins’
ha ha so true. fucking morons in amerika for 98% including this blog of intelligent geezers. wisdom is the rare element. smarts and cunningness and wealth is something different.
Probably its gonna end up like a damaging nothing burger like last time.
Its official flooding the zone is now a propaganda tool.
Its not a bout policy its about trump and his far rt cronies keeping power.
Trump’s tariffs are causing problems everywhere….but the MAGA morons are clueless.
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/12/trump-tariffs-us-customs-record-bond-funding-issues-flagged.html
A record-breaking number of companies shipping products into the United States are coming up short on a federal government requirement to financially guarantee they can cover the import trade duties triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
And this is leading to a record amount of money paid to the U.S. to cover the shortfalls.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shared with CNBC shows that what are called customs bond “insufficiencies” reached a total of 27,479 in fiscal 2025, with the combined value soaring to almost $3.6 billion. It is the highest number of bond insufficiencies and the highest total value across insufficiencies ever recorded. In fact, it doubles the 2019 level when tariffs enacted by Trump under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 also fueled bond shortfalls.
If your aluminum can of beer has gone up in price….you know which party to blame.(and which president).
Shoot…I’d pay 10x just to be assured that none of them transsexuals was drinkin’ the same beer as me!
If you are drinking beer from a can instead of a bottle you’re doing it wrong 🙂
I pour my beer in a glass, and drink it with pinky extended.
I like cans. They are a lot lighter in weight than bottles which can also cause dangerous broken glass shards if broken. And I can easily crush the cans with my foot, making the space they consume before taking them to the recycling center smaller than bottles. I read that the lighter weight of cans in comparison is also more environmentally friendly for transportation fuel/greenhouse gas costs.