WASHINGTON, August 5, 2025 — The United States has announced a revised start date for its upcoming tariff measures, shifting the implementation from the originally scheduled Friday to August 7. The update, signed into effect Thursday evening, affects 68 countries and the European Union.
The new timeline offers additional room for negotiations with countries that have yet to finalize trade agreements with the U.S., though it has also introduced fresh uncertainty for global markets. Investors reacted cautiously, with Asian shares retreating on Friday and both U.S. and European futures trending lower.
Market analysts are closely monitoring the impact of the delayed rollout. Benjamin Picton, a senior market strategist at Rabo Bank, noted ongoing volatility and observed that trade policy developments continue to influence investor sentiment.
Financial institutions such as Mizuho Bank highlighted that Southeast Asia had experienced early economic pressures but is now better positioned due to evolving tariff differentials across the region.
The tariff strategy follows the administration’s previous round of measures announced in April, which caused temporary market disruption. A 90-day negotiating window was introduced shortly thereafter to facilitate trade discussions. Since then, the U.S. has engaged with several trade partners including the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines, resulting in partial trade frameworks and proposals.
Some countries remain in active discussions. Canada, for example, saw its tariff rate increased from 25% to 35%. The EU is awaiting final documentation for a proposed 15% rate. Meanwhile, the Philippines continues to negotiate terms and is pursuing what officials described as a “mutually beneficial” outcome. Current proposals would see a 19% U.S. tariff on Philippine exports, alongside reduced tariffs on U.S. goods such as automobiles, soybeans, wheat, and pharmaceutical products.
The coming days are expected to bring further developments as bilateral negotiations continue ahead of the revised August 7 deadline.
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