US President Donald Trump’s administration has exempted smartphones, computers and several other electronic devices from a sweeping set of reciprocal tariffs.
The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a notice Saturday announcing the exemption of select electronics, such as smartphones, laptops, personal computers (PCs), servers and semiconductor equipment, from the reciprocal tariffs, including the 125 percent levies imposed on Chinese imports.
The exclusions apply retroactively from April 5, it added.
The latest decision is expected to ease concerns across the global tech industry about surging prices, as many of those products are manufactured in China. Also, the move also benefits companies like Apple, which rely heavily on manufacturing in China.
China said it was evaluating the impact of the exclusions, with its Commerce calling the move a “small step by US to correct its wrong practice of unilateral ‘reciprocal tariffs’.”
Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives called tech exclusions “the most bullish news we could have heard this weekend.”
“There is still clear uncertainty and volatility ahead with these China negotiations…. Big Tech firms like Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft and the broader tech industry can breathe a huge sigh of relief this weekend into Monday,” Ives said in an industry note.
Trump had initially planned to implement steep reciprocal tariffs on most countries, but he announced a 90-day pause on the scheme last week.
Instead, the US has imposed a blanket global tariff of 10 percent. For imports from China, the exemption applies only to the 125 percent reciprocal tariffs. Previous duties of 20 percent on all Chinese imports, which Trump said were related to the US fentanyl crisis, will remain in effect, according to foreign media
