CNBC Daily Open: The 15% tariff rate on Japan can feel like a relief only because of hefty ones before

CNBC

5 days ago

The anchoring effect is one of the sneakiest tools companies use to make us spend money.
Here's how it works. Let's say we're shopping for a smartphone manufactured by Dapple, which has just released two new models: a $1,200 model with a big screen and a $900 one that is more compact. The more expensive smartphone will serve as the "anchor" by which we make comparisons, so the $900 model will appear to be value for money — even if it is costly in absolute terms. But we're likely to feel good about choosing it because we've "saved" $300 on our purchase.
This scenario seems to be what's happening with the U.S-Japan trade agreement freshly announced late Tuesday stateside. U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would gain access to Japan's markets for rice and cars — which had been sticking points during negotiations — while the latter would pay 15% tariffs on its exports to America.
At first glance, that doesn't sound too positive for Japan. But, in comparison with the 25% tariff Trump slapped on Tokyo earlier this month, it's a big improvement. As Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, said, "It's a sign of the times that markets would cheer 15% tariffs. A year ago, that level of tariffs would be shocking. Today, we breathe a sigh of relief." That, in essence, is the anchoring effect at play.
Trump announces 'massive' trade deal with Japan. Under the agreement, Japan's exports to the U.S. will face a 15% tariff, and the country will "open" its market for cars and rice, Trump said. Japan will reportedly pay 15% tariffs on autos, lower than the universal 25% the U.S. imposed on cars built outside the country.
Tariff suspension with China likely to be extended. The U.S. and China's 90-day tariff pause expires on Aug. 12. However, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. will be "working out what is likely an extension."
Bessent says Jerome Powell doesn't need to resign. However, Bessent reiterated his call for the Fed Chair to conduct an internal review of the central bank. On the flipside, Mohamed El-Erian, chief economic advisor at Allianz, called on Powell to step down.
The S&P 500 ticks up to a fresh record. That's the index's 11th record close in 2025. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4%, but the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.39% as chip stocks slipped. The Stoxx Europe 600 fell 0.41%, led by a sell-off in defense stocks.
[PRO] Goldman Sachs is getting worried over the U.S. economy. Economists at the investment bank expect growth to slow, real income to "drag" and inflation to heat up in 2025 — all of which will raise the firm's projected recession risk.
How Europe's 'trade bazooka' could be a last resort against Trump's tariffs
The European Union appears to be considering whether to deploy its "Anti-Coercion Instrument" — characterized as a "nuclear option" to try to deter trade disputes — as the threat of a 30% tariff on EU imports looms large.
The measures could see the EU restrict U.S. suppliers' access to the EU market, excluding them from participation in public tenders in the bloc, as well as putting export and import restrictions on goods and services, and limits on foreign direct investment in the region.