Trump Extends China Tariff Deadline by 90 Days

President Donald Trump on Monday delayed high U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from snapping back into place for another 90 days, a White House official told CNBC. Those tariffs were set to resume Tuesday. However, Trump signed an executive order hours beforehand that extends the deadline until mid-November, according to the official. The delay was the expected outcome from the latest round of talks between U.S. trade negotiators and their Chinese counterparts, which took place in Stockholm in late July.

Total Retail's Take: This figures to be welcome news for retailers as they seek to fortify their inventory levels in advance of the Q4 holiday shopping season. Retailers can use this 90-day window to bring products from China into the U.S. at a cheaper cost, which can help them maintain pricing while also protecting margins. However, the new deadline (mid-November) comes at a tricky for retailers and brands. As such, it would be wise for retailers to build promo and pricing contingencies into their holiday planning in the event that tariff rates jump mid-Q4.