Trump ratchets up tariff uncertainty as spot rates continue to slide
- SCFI global composite index drops another 10% week on week, with Asia-Europe spot rates down 11-12% and transpacific rates down 10%
- Analysts predict continued rate decline through next month’s Chinese New Year period
- Trump’s tariff threats have sharply escalated in January versus the final months of 2025, but are yet to translate into new levies
It’s only 30 days into 2026, and US President Donald Trump has already threatened to charge new tariffs on goods from Canada, South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Finland, all countries doing business with Iran, and all countries supplying oil to Cuba. It’s going to be a long year
