Businesses brace for tariff déjà vu

July 16, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Tariff déjà vu, cooling inflation, and the price of youth sports

Retail sales are still growing, but the American consumer is pulling back slightly — and businesses are bracing for another wave of tariffs that could squeeze margins all over again. The White House announced new 25% tariffs on Brazil today, with more import taxes coming in a couple of months to replace the ones the Supreme Court said were illegal. For companies that spent the last year navigating tariff chaos, the message is clear: get ready for round three.

The tariff grind returns

Even the flower business can't escape. Steven Dime, CEO of Chicago-based Flowers for Dreams, is already preparing for tighter margins and pricing pressure ahead of Valentine's Day. He prefers to source from the Midwest, but not everything grows there, so importing is unavoidable. He's trying to place orders early, but flowers are fragile — "every person up and down the supply chain reserves that right to make changes due to the delicate nature, the fragile nature of flowers." Prices are rising, substitutions are more common, and customers ordering for weddings are not happy about it.

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What you'll learn

1 (01:44) **Host Intro & Episode Headlines** - Kai Ryssdal sets up the show from Los Angeles on Thursday, July 16th, highlighting retail sales data and a return of tariff uncertainty.
2 (02:33) **Businesses Brace for Tariff Déjà Vu** - A report on how companies are preparing for another round of import taxes, from flowers to activewear.
3 (05:23) **Good Economic Data Gives the Fed Breathing Room** - A look at how this week’s inflation and retail sales reports impact the Federal Reserve’s next move.
4 (09:01) **Kroger’s Bet on Bigger Grocery Stores** - An analysis of Kroger’s acquisition of regional chain Giant Eagle and the economics of supermarket consolidation.
5 (13:17) **The Cost of Looking the Part in Luxury Real Estate** - A look at how social media and reality TV are driving agents to spend thousands on personal branding.
6 (17:00) **Market Numbers** - A brief rundown of the day’s market performance.
7 (20:21) **Small Business Sentiment: "A Little Mentally Challenging"** - A segment featuring a small business owner on the ground in New Hampshire.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Randy Krosner Mark Zandi

Show Notes

The White House has proposed new tariffs on 60 countries that allegedly aren’t doing enough to ban forced labor. Domestic businesses, already burned from last year’s trade war, are bracing for more hurt. In this episode, companies weigh early orders against rising costs. Plus: Recent positive inflation data could convince the Fed to hold interest rates steady, Kroger buys Giant Eagle in ongoing effort to unseat Walmart as the supermarket market-share king, and parents sacrifice to put their kids through youth sports.

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