09.04.202506:29:26UTC+00Australian Shares Slide as Trump Tariffs Take Effect

The S&P/ASX 200 Index experienced a 1.8% decline, closing at 7,375 on Wednesday, effectively erasing yesterday's gains. This downturn coincided with the implementation of US President Donald Trump's extensive reciprocal tariffs. Australia is subject to a minimum 10% levy, largely due to Trump's interest in restricting Australian beef in response to historical limitations on US beef exports. Concurrently, Trump increased US tariffs on China to an accumulated rate of 104%, intensifying the trade conflict between the world's two largest economies. This climate of economic tension placed substantial pressure on mining and energy stocks, which suffered due to weakened commodity prices, with significant declines noted in BHP Group (-3.7%), Fortescue (-4.5%), and Woodside Energy (-3.9%). Additionally, the financial and consumer sectors faced challenges, with notable declines in Macquarie Group (-4.3%) and Wesfarmers (-1.1%).