STOCK/MARKET Alert 10.10.2025 Tariff Talks Sink Stocks

My Stock/Market Alert is an event driven brief about a stock OR the market when noteworthy action occurs. Today’s alert may sound familiar… tariff talk. Early in this morning’s stock market session stocks reversed lower and picked up an intense selling pressure within minutes of a social media post from President Trump. He threatened a “massive increase” in tariffs on Chinese goods.

Expect the frequency of my Stock/Market Alert notes to be consistent with meaningful moves in a specific stock held by BAM Portfolios or the stock market in general.

It’s been 119 trading days in a row without a 3% or greater down day. It happened today in the Nasdaq index. This was the 7th longest winning streak since 1950. The Nasdaq is up over 36% over that period, the greatest gain of the long streaks.

The market opened up this morning and was on track to close at another all-time record high. I was on a research call when one analyst paused the talk to point to a sudden drop in the market. He read a social media post that his screen flashed. President Trump was threatening “a massive increase of tariffs on Chinese products” being imported into the US, accusing China of becoming “hostile” due to their export controls. Additionally, Trump said he saw “no reason” to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. This immediately prompted a wave of selling pressure across all equity indices with Nasdaq down over 2%.  See the attached 5 minute chart for the Nasdaq below.

Tech stocks tumbled lower in minutes and selling didn’t stop until the market’s closing bell. Volatility spiked, as the VIX index spiked over 30% is stocks slid, showing the most movement since April. Was this another market Trump Tariff Talk Temper Tantrum? It looked like it. It also brought back stark reminders of the bear market of March and April that “Liberation Day” tariff plans ignited. After such a big advance in the market indexes since the April low, today’s decline may have been more about profit taking before a long Columbus Day weekend. Here’s how the major stock indices finished today.

The market now has a lot to think about over the weekend. After the market’s close today Trump said he was raising tariffs on Chinese exports to the U.S. to 100% starting November 1. President Trump’s tariff announcement reignites the trade war with Beijing. He also implied the tariffs could be imposed earlier “depending on any further actions or changes taken by China.”

Today’s tariff threats between the U.S. and China are significantly different and more volatile than those in April, representing a major escalation of trade tensions. The current situation is defined by a renewed, aggressive tariff threat from the U.S. and direct retaliatory measures from China, disrupting a tentative truce that had held since May.

Hope this is helpful. My intent in writing my Stock/Market Alert is to send you commentary on relevant and timely developments that may relate to your investment portfolio.

Call anytime you have questions.

John