4Global Trade Disrupted: Early Impacts of U.S. Tariffs

The global trading system is once again in flux as the United States’ dramatic tariff hikes in 2025 begin to ripple through the world economy. The sweeping increase — with the U.S. effective tariff rate jumping from under 5% in 2024 to around 17% this year — has injected volatility into trade flows, distorted data, and forced economies to adjust to a new phase of protectionism.