VOA慢速英语--美国大公司警告称关税会导致价格上涨

More US Companies Warn Tariffs² will Lead to Higher Prices

A growing number of major American companies are warning that President Donald Trump³’s tariffs on U.S. imports are raising their costs and prices.

Jim Hackett, head of Ford⁴ Motor Company, said on Wednesday that the new tariffs on steel and aluminum⁵ are costing Ford $1 billion. He also said the taxes may cause price increases in the automobile⁶ industry.

Ford is the second-largest automaker in the United States.

Walmart, America’s largest store, has told the Trump administration that the latest tariffs — on $200 billion of Chinese imports — could increase prices. The company pointed⁸ to products like car seats, hats, and bicycles.

Procter & Gamble, the maker⁷ of cleansers and personal care products, has warned of possible price increases and job losses because of the tariffs.

In addition, drinking Coca-Cola is costing Americans more because of the taxes. Other businesses, like Macy’s and Gap, warned of likely price increases.

On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell spoke⁹ about the issue after the Fed’s members voted to raise interest rates. The Federal Reserve System is America’s central bank.

Asked about the tariffs forcing up prices for Americans, Powell said that Fed officials are hearing from businesses about possible higher costs.

“You don’t see it yet,” the chairman said, commenting about reports the Fed studies.

However, Powell added that the tariffs might provide a reason for companies to raise prices “in a world where they’ve been very reluctant to and unable to raise prices.”

Speaking in New York Wednesday, Trump rejected the idea that the tariffs could create an economic risk. He said that Americans would not notice the new taxes.

“It’s had no impact...on our economy,” the president said after meetings with foreign leaders at the United Nations General Assembly.

Ford Motor Company’s Jim Hackett said that he estimates the latest tariffs will cost his company about $1 billion.

Ford buys most of its metals from U.S. producers. They have raised prices this year as a result of the tariffs on foreign competitors, the company has said.

Other companies that make cars in the U.S. are seeing the same price increases, said Peter Nagle of the IHS Markit research service. For now, these businesses are paying the increased costs themselves, but eventually they will have to raise prices, he added.

Car manufacturers are keeping prices low because they think Americans cannot pay higher prices, Nagle said. But if the tariffs continue, “some of those costs would have to start being passed along” to U.S. buyers.

The Trump administration set a 25 percent tariff¹ on imported steel and 10 percent tariff on aluminum from some countries, including China, in March. It added Canada, Mexico and the European Union to the list in June.

The administration justified¹⁰ the tariffs by saying foreign steel and aluminum are a threat to U.S. national security.

Nagle said steel prices are up 25 percent since the tariffs began, and he expects that to rise to near 30 percent next year.

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

tariff – n. a tax on goods coming into or leaving a country

reluctant – adj. feeling or showing doubt about doing something; not willing or eager to do something

impact – n. a powerful or major influence or effect

discount – n. selling goods or services at reduced prices

1 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

2 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

3 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

4 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

5 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

6 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

7 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

8 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 justified   

a.正当的，有理的

参考例句：

• She felt fully justified in asking for her money back. 她认为有充分的理由要求退款。
• The prisoner has certainly justified his claims by his actions. 那个囚犯确实已用自己的行动表明他的要求是正当的。