Authored By: Brian Sak, CFP, CLU, ChCF
In early 2025, a new wave of tariff policy updates has unsettled global markets. As trade rhetoric intensifies between the United States and major economies—including China and the European Union—investors are once again contending with heightened volatility, fluctuating commodity prices, and geopolitical uncertainty.
While headlines focus on the noise of tariffs and their immediate market reactions, the real work is in interpreting these shifts through the lens of long-term financial planning. At Granite Harbor Advisors, we believe uncertainty is not a signal to retreat, but a prompt to reexamine opportunities, reaffirm strategic allocations, and ensure comprehensive planning is doing its job.
Understanding the Tariff Changes
The most recent policy updates center around increased tariffs on key industrial and consumer goods. The U.S. has imposed or proposed elevated duties on semiconductor components, electric vehicles, and various Chinese-manufactured technologies in response to concerns over national security and intellectual property. In parallel, the European Union has signaled retaliatory measures on American agricultural exports and tech platforms.
These actions are part of a broader recalibration of globalization, with governments prioritizing domestic manufacturing and supply chain autonomy. But as history has shown, tariffs do not operate in isolation—they ripple through currency markets, earnings forecasts, supply chain costs, and investor sentiment.
Implications for Market Behavior
Markets have responded predictably, though unevenly. The reintroduction of tariffs has fueled volatility in equities, particularly in sectors reliant on global supply chains such as industrials, consumer electronics, and automotive. Meanwhile, commodity prices—especially for rare earth minerals, agricultural staples, and oil—have shown erratic swings as investors try to anticipate supply disruptions or demand shifts.
Currency markets have also reacted, with the U.S. dollar gaining strength on perceived policy aggressiveness, while export-heavy currencies like the euro and Chinese yuan have weakened slightly in response to trade uncertainty.
The real challenge lies not in predicting the next move, but in assessing how these forces interact with underlying economic fundamentals. Inflationary pressures may reemerge as imported goods become more expensive. Central banks, already walking a tightrope, may face renewed dilemmas around interest rate adjustments and inflation targets.
What This Means for Investors
Tariffs and market volatility test not only asset allocations but also investor behavior. In times like these, emotionally driven decisions—shifting to cash, chasing short-term hedges, or overreacting to media narratives—can do more harm than the volatility itself.
At Granite Harbor Advisors, our approach begins with a simple premise: the best defense is a resilient plan, not reactive tactics.
- For Business Owners: Tariffs may raise input costs or complicate supply agreements. This underscores the importance of integrating business continuity planning with personal financial strategies. Coordinating liquidity planning, tax projections, and asset protection strategies can help mitigate business disruption risks.
- For Corporate Executives: Volatile equity markets may impact the value of stock options or deferred compensation plans. Now is the time to review your equity exposure and consider diversifying concentrated positions through structured liquidation strategies or hedging solutions that align with your long-term goals.
- For Families with Multigenerational Wealth: Market instability can impact more than just investment returns. It can challenge family governance structures, philanthropy timing, or distribution strategies. Revisiting estate plans, life insurance funding, and philanthropic structures in light of asset repricing can enhance flexibility and opportunity.
A Reminder of What Truly Matters
Periods of geopolitical and market uncertainty often cause investors to question the foundations of their financial plans. That instinct is understandable—and healthy. But it is also an opportunity to affirm what separates reaction from readiness: a comprehensive, values-aligned strategy built to weather change.
We emphasize four foundational truths in our client relationships:
- You work with a team, not just an individual. In complex environments, collective insight matters more than ever.
- Access to public and private market investments provides strategic flexibility. Private market allocations may offer less correlation to tariff-sensitive sectors and public equity swings.
- Sophisticated insurance and estate strategies provide both protection and opportunity. These tools can be particularly useful in preserving legacy plans during market disruptions.
- Core values should anchor your decisions. When planning is driven by integrity, clarity, and purpose, short-term noise becomes more manageable.
Looking Ahead
No one can control geopolitical developments or macroeconomic policies, but we can choose how we prepare. That choice, executed with discipline and insight, is where peace of mind resides.
As markets digest the implications of these tariff changes, we remain focused on helping clients make informed, thoughtful decisions rooted in long-term objectives. Whether you're navigating portfolio volatility, rethinking your exposure to global markets, or planning your next move as a business owner or executive, we’re here to guide each step with clarity and care.
At Granite Harbor Advisors, we view turbulence not as a detour, but as a test of strategy—and an opportunity to deepen the partnership we share with our clients.