The phone escaped! The latest list of tariff exclusions in the United States was released, and technology stocks breathed a sigh of relief

The trade war between the U.S. and China has escalated again, with President Trump imposing retaliatory tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese products, causing a shockwave in the global market. However, the latest guidelines released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bring a glimmer of hope, as several tech products, including smartphones and computers, will temporarily be exempt from these tariffs, providing breathing room for tech giants like Apple.

Temporary exemption for tech products, is Apple the biggest winner?

According to the guidelines released by U.S. Customs on Friday evening, the new tariff exemptions cover multiple core technology products, including semiconductors, solar panels, LCD displays, USB flash drives, and memory cards, in addition to smartphones and computers. While these products may face additional taxation in the future, the expected tax rate will be significantly lower than the current 145% imposed on Chinese goods.

For Apple, which relies heavily on China as its main production base, this is undoubtedly a timely blessing. According to Evercore ISI data, China manufactures 80% of iPads and over half of Mac computers. If this tariff policy is fully implemented, the impact on Apple's operating costs and product prices will be quite significant.

Expert: For technology investors, it's simply a dream scenario.

Wedbush's head of securities technology research said in an interview: "The exclusion of smartphones and chips is a game-changer for the entire market." He added that the tariffs have been a lingering haze for the tech industry, and "no industry has been more affected than the big tech companies."

He pointed out that the "loud calls" from the CEOs of the tech industry ultimately forced the White House to pay attention to the serious consequences of this policy. "If these tariffs really go into effect, it would be nothing short of an apocalypse for the tech industry."

iPhone rose to 3500 USD? The market was once out of control.

Since Trump announced a new round of tariffs, the stock market has been turbulent, with Apple's market value evaporating by more than $640 billion, severely impacting investor confidence. According to CNBC, if a 145% tariff is fully applied, the price of an iPhone could soar to as high as $3,500.

The S&P 500 index of the US stock market fell more than 5% during the period from the announcement of tariffs to the close on Friday. At the same time, the yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds surged more than 50 basis points in a week, setting a record for unusual volatility. These market fluctuations are likely to force the White House to reassess its policies, including implementing a 90-day tariff buffer for most countries, changing to a universal 10% tax rate (excluding China).

Exemption details: Products shipped on April 5 are applicable.

According to the latest guidelines, any relevant technology products manufactured or shipped for export on or after April 5, 2025, will be eligible for this tariff exemption. This regulation pertains to the timing of freight valuation, rather than the customs declaration time, allowing U.S. importers to better manage their financial and logistics planning.

This is undoubtedly a benefit to reduce uncertainty for the US technology industry supply chain, after all, importers are responsible for paying tariffs to Hong Kong, and without clear rules, it is bound to cause greater market chaos.

Although this wave of tariff exemptions has alleviated the urgent situation for Apple and other tech companies, the China-U.S. trade situation remains unstable, and market sentiment is still highly volatile. As the United States enters an election year, whether Trump will further adjust his policy towards China remains a significant variable. While the tech industry may have temporarily breathed a sigh of relief, it still needs to cautiously address policy risks in the future.

This article discusses how mobile phones have escaped a disaster! The latest list of tariff exemptions from the United States has been released, and tech stocks can breathe a sigh of relief. First appeared on Chain News ABMedia.