Dow Soars After Trump Shields Tech From Tariff Shock

Wall Street just got a wake-up call and it came straight from President Trump’s America First economic playbook.

Markets roared to life on Monday after Trump made a strategic move to shift smartphones, computers, and critical tech components into a different tariff “bucket,” temporarily exempting them from the brunt of his bold new reciprocal tariff plan. The result? A 421-point surge in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, sending a clear message: when American leadership prioritizes strategic protection over globalist handouts, confidence soars.

All three major indexes rallied:

• Dow Jones: +421 points (+1%)

• S&P 500: +1.1%

• Nasdaq Composite: +1% midday, with peaks over +2.5%

Tech giants were the biggest beneficiaries, with Apple shares jumping 3% and Dell gaining more than 4% as investors cheered the administration’s sharp but calculated trade pivot. The move eased fears that Washington would kneecap American tech in a standoff with foreign competitors particularly China.

Let’s break it down:

• Trump’s reciprocal tariffs aim to counter foreign protectionism and force fair treatment of U.S. goods abroad.

• In a Friday decision, U.S. Customs and Border Protection moved key tech products into a less restrictive category, avoiding immediate impacts.

• National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett revealed that more than 10 countries are now scrambling to ink new trade deals to dodge these tariffs altogether.

Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities summed it up:

“Smartphones, chips being excluded is a game changer scenario… it would have been Armageddon for big tech if implemented.”

And while the exemptions brought short-term relief, President Trump made one thing very clear: this isn’t a free pass. On Truth Social, he reminded Americans that “these products remain subject to the existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs” and are only in a different bucket for now. The message? These are smart, strategic maneuvers not concessions.

That nuance matters. Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs are meant to restore balance to an international trade system rigged for decades against.

Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter for more updates.