The technological firm led by Tim Cook, Apple, manufactures most of its products in China, a country to which Trump It has imposed tariffs, the last update indicates that it raised them to 145%.
UBS Investment Research and Euronews studies estimated that the price of the iPhone will increase, due to China tariffs, between 43% and 56%, and that product serves as a reference of others that could suffer similar effects.
This includes electronic devices – lables, laptops and other technological products – that are assembled in China, in addition to appliances – refrigerators and washing machines. All this can be affected, since many components come from the Asian giant, said Rodolfo Pérez, an expert from EY.
Pérez added that companies face the challenge of absorbing costs, distributing them in the supply chain or transferring them to the consumer, which could increase prices and reduce short -term demand.
Therefore, Guatemala, without imposing reciprocal tariffs, could benefit negotiating trade agreements with reduced tariffs or diversifying their import sources. At the business level, the diversification of suppliers and optimization of productive processes, through methodologies such as “Treasure Hunting “where in an agile model they can identify “rapid victories” of optimization that can be used in times of uncertainty, recommended the specialist.
Consumers, meanwhile, could face increases in prices, affecting its purchasing power and contributing to inflation. The effective response of companies and government will be crucial to minimize the negative effect on the market, Pérez said.
Impact into categories
Ana Lucía Santacruz, Tax and Foreign Trade Partner, and Ludy Lima, Foreign Trade Manager of the Deloitte Guatemala firm, analyzed that the totality of goods produced, assembled or prepared in China will be impacted and that the US market is destined.
The increase in tariffs in goods from China, destined for the US market, toFECTA various categories such as machinery, toys, electronic, appliances, textiles, batteries and telecommunications.
Between 13% and 17% of imports to the US. In 2024 they came from China, highlighting that electronic and electrical products cover between 25% and 30% of these exports.
Strategies for companies vary according to their profit margins, the specialists explained, for example, those with broad margins could absorb costs, seeking to increase market share, while companies with reduced margins could choose to transfer part of the costs to consumers, depending on their financial viability. These measures could lead to market rearrangement and the creation of new long -term international suppliers.
If the costs are transferred to the consumer, The impact includes lower purchasing power, consumption reduction and possible opportunities for producers from countries with lower tariffs. In the US, an increase in inflation and deceleration of economic growth is anticipated. In China, this could result in a drop in exports, production cuts and decrease in GDP, the Deloitte specialists concluded.