Friday marked yet another day of confusion and uncertainty as actor-turned-politician Vijay’s efforts to form the government hit yet another roadblock, with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) yet to reach the magic number needed for a majority. As the day came to a close
Bigg Boss Telugu 3's Ashu Reddy posts engagement pictures amid alleged ₹9.35 crore cheating controversyActor and former Bigg Boss contestant Ashu Reddy surprised many when she posted pictures of her engagement ceremony. Take a look. May 9, 2026
Coal India MT Recruitment 2026: Registration for 660 posts begins on May 12 at coalindia.in, details hereCoal India will recruit for Management Trainee posts. The registration process for 660 posts will begin on May 12, 2026. Published on: May 08
An Indian influencer’s candid Instagram video about the high cost of travelling in the United States has triggered a debate online, with many of whom said they could relate to the financial anxiety of spending in dollars while earning in Indian rupees
Bhatia moves closer to Top-10 at Truist as McIlroy chases ImBhatia moves closer to Top-10 at Truist as McIlroy chases Im Updated on: May 09, 2026 9:38 AM IST PTI Share via Copy link Charlotte , Indian-American golfer Akshay Bhatia edged closer to a top-10 placement
Tariffs are costing my business $100,000 a month
Tariffs are costing my business $100,000 a month
In a corner of a cavernous 1890s factory in southern Massachusetts, 15 people are bent over sewing machines, churning out specialty, hospital-grade neonatal gear.
They are all that remain of what was once a much bigger manufacturing operation, most of which the Teixeira family shut down in 1990, reinventing their business as a largely warehousing and distribution business.
Since US President Donald Trump started rolling out sweeping tariffs, the Teixeiras have been fielding more inquiries from companies newly interested in their US-based sewing services.
But they have turned down those offers, deterred by the difficulty of hiring in the midst of an immigration crackdown and doubts that the demand will be sustained.
It's just one of the many indications that achieving the manufacturing revival promised by the president is likely to be far more difficult than the White House has claimed.
"It's just not going to happen," said Frank Teixeira, who joined the family business in the 1970s and oversaw its dismantling and reinvention as Accurate Services Inc.
Tariffs are a bad policy and eventually are going to come home to haunt us.
Trump campaigned for the presidency on the promise of a better economy, engineered in part by tariffs that he said would lower costs and usher in a new golden age.
The message proved to resonate with voters, helping the campaign make unexpected inroads in working-class areas long considered Democratic strongholds.
That includes the Teixeiras' base of Fall River, a former textile manufacturing hub, where Trump's win marked the first in the city by a Republican presidential candidate in roughly a century.
But his plans were widely panned by experts, who warned that the tariffs, which are a tax on imports, would instead raise prices for American businesses and consumers and slow growth - with particular risks for manufacturers, who often rely on imported supplies.
Now nine months into the president's term as the tariffs take hold, the gulf between Trump's rhetoric, which boasts of investments pouring into the country, and the reality on the ground in places like Fall River, is starting to show.
Employment growth in the US has slowed precipitously this year, including in manufacturing. After expanding after the pandemic, payrolls at manufacturing firms have shrunk this year, shedding 12,000 jobs last month alone.
Business surveys indicate that activity in the sector is in contraction.
Last month, 71% of manufacturers questioned by the Dallas branch of the Federal Reserve said the tariffs - which range from 10% to 50% on most imports - had already had a negative impact on their business, raising the cost of resources and hurting profits.
At Matouk, a maker of high-end bedding up the road from the Teixeiras', boss George Matouk said that between April and August tariffs had already added more than $100,000 (£74,000) a month in costs, as they hit supplies like cotton fabric from India and Portugal and down from Liechtenstein.
Founded by his grandfather in 1929, the company has grown to employ about 300 people in recent years - a point of pride for Mr Matouk, who faced naysayers when he returned as the third generation to join the family business after graduating from Columbia Business School in the late 1990s.
But the sudden tariff expense has forced the firm to cut investments on things such as new equipment and spending on discretionary items like marketing.
Despite the made-in-America distinction of many of his products, Mr Matouk said he expected no benefits from the tariffs because higher costs were pushing him to raise prices, a move likely to weigh on sales.
"Because the materials are subject to tariffs just like everything else, the benefits are not there," he said.
Mr Matouk called the current challenges faced by his firm "demoralising in a new way", since they have been inflicted deliberately, by government policy.
"We've done all of the things we were supposed to do in order to invest in the industrial base of the United States when no one else was willing to do it and it's just really frustrating that now we're being penalised," he said.
Studies on the impact of the more limited tariffs imposed by Trump during his first term on manufacturers in the US have found that small job gains in protected industries, like steel, were more than offset by losses at other firms that were dependent on parts.
But Mike van der Sleesen, who runs motorcycle jacket business Vanson Leathers, said he thought the changes this year had been so disruptive that it was premature to make predictions.
Mr van der Sleesen, who voted for Trump last year, is no fan of the president's tariffs, which have driven up his costs some 15% this year.
However, he shared the president's concerns that foreign companies could easily access the US market, while US firms looking to sell abroad encounter hurdles in the form of tariffs and other taxes.
"It's been a very uneven and unfair trade path for a company like Vanson," said Mr van der Sleesen, whose business was founded in 1974 and employed more than 160 people as recently as 2000, before the wallop of China's entry into the global order shrunk the workforce to about 50.
"We shouldn't charge them and they shouldn't charge us in my view but that's never going to happen," he said.
For now, demand for his jackets, which can sell for thousands of dollars, has held up. He said his suppliers in the US were reporting an uptick in activity.
We haven't heard overtime in the textile world for 20 years!" he said. "It's hard to be confident that you can predict what it's going to shake out to be because the changes have been so dramatic.
On the streets of Fall River, many Trump supporters said they remained willing to give the president time to put his strategy to the test.
"We should be able to manufacture," said Tom Teixeira.
The 72-year-old retired transit worker voted for Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024, won over in part by his message on the economy.
"I know how it was and it can improve but it's not going to improve overnight," said Mr Teixeira, who is not related to the Teixeira manufacturers, adding that he had yet to notice any major price increases this year.
A year from now, if things aren't cheaper, we'll see.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Massachusetts Miss Hall's School's sexual abuse scandal Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids Flash flood warning issued in Boston as storms wreak havoc in Massachusetts Flash flood warning issued in Boston as storms wreak havoc in Massachusetts Flash flood warning issued in Boston as storms wreak havoc in Massachusetts Flash flood warning issued in Boston as storms wreak havoc in Massachusetts Monsoon round the corner How can football's lawmakers fix Premier League corner chaos Messi’s India tour turns a corner as Hyderabad gets it right after Kolkata chaos RJD, Congress have soft corner for ‘infiltrators’, dislike for Lord Ram because of vote bank, alleges PM Modi
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has once again stepped in to prop up Pakistan’s fragile economy, approving about $1.2 billion under two ongoing bailout programmes, highlighting the country’s continued dependence on external IMF loans. The approval includes about $1 billion under the
5 hours ago
Watermelon deaths mystery deepens after rat poison bottle is foundA forensic report confirmed zinc phosphide poisoning in the Dokadia family deaths. Published on: May 09, 2026 10:38 AM IST By Vinay Dalvi Share via Copy link A day after a forensic report said that a lethal dose of zinc phosphide
5 hours ago
Back in 2016, a movement began to encourage simple but powerful ideas like “getting real" and “tuning in." These weren’t just slogans; they served as reminders that human beings need to stay connected with their inner rhythm as much as their digital networks.Back in 2016
5 hours ago
Jaspinder Narula recalls heartbreaking moment when Mona found out about Boney Kapoor’s affair with SrideviJaspinder Narula recalled that Mona Shourie Kapoor was devastated when she found out about Boney Kapoor's affair with Sridevi, and broke down outside a studio. May 9, 2026
5 hours ago
India’s AI education strategy is ambitious and unusually comprehensive, reflecting a seriousness of intent that is rare in large public systems. Yet, for all its scale it currently addresses only one side of the problem. In just the past few weeks
5 hours ago
Congress accuses BJP and DMK of obstructing TVK's secular government formation in Tamil Nadu. The party claims the DMK is willing to support AIADMK and prevent other secular parties from aiding TVK, amid reported INDIA bloc divisions and DMK seeking separate seating in Parliament
5 hours ago
As West Bengal prepares for Suvendu Adhikari’s swearing-in as Chief Minister, uncertainty remains over whether Mamata Banerjee will attend the ceremony despite being invited by the BJP. As West Bengal prepares for a historic political transition with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu
5 hours ago
Delhi CEO gives ₹10,000, 3-day break to employees to take parents on vacation to celebrate Mother’s DayThe Delhi CEO who announced paid leave for employees on Mother’s Day previously went viral for giving his team a 9-day Diwali break. Published on: May 09
5 hours ago
As World Cocktail Day on May 13 approaches, it’s the perfect moment to revisit how we celebrate our favourite drinks. With mindful drinking continuing to shape modern lifestyles, cocktails are getting a cleaner, lighter upgrade. The focus is shifting from heavy syrups and sugar-loaded mixers to
5 hours ago
West Bengal's long-standing political clashes with the central government over welfare schemes are set to change. With the BJP now in power in both the state and at the Centre, a new era of administrative integration is expected. Major schemes like Ayushman Bharat and PM-Kisan
5 hours ago
Vijay’s sister Keerthana has expressed happiness amid speculations that the TVK chief is likely to take oath as the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu soon. On Friday night, the actor-turned-politician’s sister was spotted by the media outside his Chennai residence when she expressed gratitude
5 hours ago
Luis Suarez might not be done with Uruguay just yet. More than 18 months after stepping away from international football, the legendary striker has revealed he would be open to returning for one final World Cup run if called upon by Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa
5 hours ago
Trump suffers devastating $400 million loss. Here's howThe parent company of President Donald Trump's Truth Social, the social media platform, showed a net loss of over $400 million in the first quarter. Published on: May 09, 2026 10:27 AM IST By Shuvrajit Das Biswas Share via Copy link The parent
5 hours ago
As Mother’s Day dawns once again, it's time to recall, cherish and honour the person who brings humanity to life. Millions across the world pause on this day and take a moment to pay tribute to the quiet resilience, the boundless sacrifice, and unconditional love of their progenitor
5 hours ago
The Pentagon has begun releasing new files on UFOs, saying members of the public can draw their own conclusions on “unidentified anomalous phenomena.” Besides the Pentagon, the effort is led by the White House, the Director of National Intelligence, the Energy Department, NASA and the FBI
5 hours ago
Birds of prey in South Africa are in trouble – study analyses data from 16 years of road countsBirds of prey in South Africa are in trouble – study analyses data from 16 years of road counts Published on: May 09, 2026 10:44 AM IST PTI Share via Copy link Cape Town
5 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.MacBook Air M5 gets a big price cut: This Amazon Summer Sale deal makes it even easier to recommendMacBook Air M5, M4 and MacBook Neo are all discounted right now
5 hours ago
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, who emerged as one of the biggest winners of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections after securing both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, has declared total assets worth Rs 85.87 lakh in his election affidavit. Adkikari is set to take oath as West Bengal Chief Minister
5 hours ago
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) witnessed a sharp contraction in its scale and reach in 2025–26, according to a report on the final operational year of the scheme introduced by the Congress-led UPA era
5 hours ago
Free India elected to protect and uphold the right to religious conscience. These incorporated the freedoms to choose, practice and propagate one’s religious faith. This, after searching and sometimes bitter debates in India’s constituent assembly in the shadow of cataclysmic religious riots
5 hours ago
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has announced the West Bengal Madhyamik Result 2026. The overall pass percentage reached 86.83 per cent, and the competition among the toppers was extremely close. The pass rate too has increased from last year when 86
5 hours ago
Police in Lucknow arrested four members of an interstate gang accused of creating and selling fake IPL tickets outside Ekana Cricket Stadium using ChatGPT and graphic design software. According to police, the gang sourced images of original IPL tickets from social media and used CorelDRAW and
5 hours ago
Banking stocks to buy: The Reserve Bank of India’s proposed Expected Credit Loss (ECL) framework could mark one of the biggest structural shifts for the country’s banking sector in recent years, with experts believing the move may separate stronger lenders from weaker ones over time
5 hours ago
An Indian politician once seen as a protege of a long-serving chief minister of West Bengal state is set to replace her. Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was a close aide of outgoing chief minister Mamata Banerjee until their bitter falling out a few years ago
5 hours ago
Aaron Rai takes lead at Myrtle Beach ClassicAaron Rai takes lead at Myrtle Beach Classic Published on: May 09, 2026 9:48 AM IST PTI Share via Copy link Myrtle Beach , Aaron Rai found four birdies on his second nine in his card of 4-under 67 to take a one-shot lead over Presidents Cup captain Brandt
5 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Before buying a printer, understand these important differences between inkjet and laser printersInkjet and laser printers both have their own strengths
5 hours ago
US senators are set to consider long-awaited legislation that would create a next week, potentially ending a deadlock over the bill that pitted crypto companies against US banks.The bill, dubbed the , would, if signed into law, clarify ' jurisdiction over the burgeoning sector
5 hours ago
