President Donald Trump has imposed prices that could reshape the North American technological landscape, adding $ 50 billion in new costs for imports from Canada and Mexico. The prices – 25% on all imports of Canada and Mexico, 10% on Chinese products and 25% on the technological components of the European Union such as semiconductors – should disturb supply chains, increase consumer prices and push large technological companies to domestic production. With 80% of the American foundry capacity for key semiconductor sizes that currently depend on China and Taiwan, experts predict training effects throughout the technological sector, which has an impact, smartphones and IA infrastructure cloud services.
Prices on goods in accordance with the American agreement – Mexico – Canada – Goods mainly from North America – and automobile parts in Canada and Mexico delayed until April 2. All other imports in these countries have been subject to prices since March 4. On March 12, all imported steel and aluminum will be struck by a price and chips of 25% and other technological critical components of the EU will follow by April 2.
SEE: Trump's import rates: how they will shake prices, jobs and trade
How will these prices affect you?
The new prices should increase the prices of manufacturers and consumers in the technological sector, affecting everything, smartphones and laptops to cloud storage and the computing power of the AI.
THE The United States is based on China and Taiwan For around 80% of its foundry capacity for fleas from 20 to 45 nm and around 70% for fleas from 50 to 180 nm. Technological companies can try to move the supply to countries without a price such as India and Vietnam, but many will pass additional costs to consumers instead.
Manufacturers of consumer electronics such as laptops and smartphones can also be affected if they import different components of or assemble their products in prices. Indeed, Apple mainly manufactures its iPhones in China, so that the handsets can see an increase in prices in the United States
Data centers and AI infrastructure face higher costs
Aluminum and steel prices will also prick data centers companies, as these materials are essential for serving carriers, cooling systems and other infrastructure, which increases construction and equipment.
Additional expenses and potential disruptions of the supply chain can be reflected in corporate cloud storage prices such as AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure, as well as SaaS and AI companies that use large -scale data processing. He could also delay the construction plans for new data centers that companies have intended to meet the growing demand for AI.
However, the declared intention is to reduce dependence on foreign opponents. Although this can lead to higher prices for short -term consumers, this could also stimulate investments in the national industries and stimulate the resilience of the supply chain.
See also: Microsoft will invest $ 80 billion in AI data centers during the year 2025
The North America supply chain at risk
“(The United States is) a large producer, he is a big consumer,” said Christine McDaniel, principal researcher at the Mercatus Center, Christine McDaniel Bloomberg. “We have products that cross the border, you know, several times before it ends with a finished product.”
McDaniel said Mexico and Canada will pay more than $ 50 billion in prices for importing technology and tokens into the United States, adding that the cost “will come out of the North American economy”. Canada Mines of essential raw materials such as nickel and cobalt, while Mexico manages the assembly of components, tests and packaging for the main manufacturers such as Foxconn.
“All this will really harm the pricing power of the United States,” said McDaniel. “It will either eat in their beneficiary margins, or they will transmit it to American consumers.”
Gil Luria, head of technological research in DA Davidson, said Bloomberg This part of the reason for which Trump implemented prices on EU's goods is in retaliation for the region “getting used” to the Ambiner of large American companies, such as Apple,, GoogleAnd MetaFor “whatever the behavior they choose to penalize”. He added that the EU could become “combative” in response, and the level to which it will determine the extent of the impact of prices on major technological players.
SEE: Meta to take the concerns of EU's regulation directly in Trump, explains the World Affairs Manager
Technological companies increase American manufacturing
Even before the prices, many companies announce plans to build new facilities in the United States, which is a trend likely to continue. This week, TSMC is committed to extending its expenses On the construction of data centers in the United States at 160 billion dollars, which he deems the “greatest foreign direct foreign investment in the history of the United States”.
Last month, Apple has announced that it would spend $ 500 billion on manufacturing and research in the United States over the next four years. In January, the Stargate project was launched, which has seen companies such as Softbank, Openai and Oracle devote $ 500 billion AI Generative Infrastructure in the United States, including data centers.
At the TSMC investment press conference this week, Trump added that there are still “many companies (more companies) who want to announce” construction projects in the United States. These companies could absorb the activity of foreign competitors in the chip, the cloud and other material markets.
