This article is proudly sponsored by Sew Torn, a film by Diamantis Zavitsanos!
Copper’s Getting Taxed, Pharma’s Getting Time: Who Wins in Trump’s Tariff Shuffle?
Pop quiz: What’s orange, conducts electricity, and just got slapped with a 50% tariff?
That’s right—copper.
On July 8, 2025 (yesterday), President Donald Trump dropped a trade bombshell from somewhere between a campaign rally and a red-state steel mill. The U.S. will now impose a 50% tariff on imported copper, effective immediately. But wait, there’s more:
- Tariffs on foreign-made pharmaceuticals—rumored to reach a seizure-inducing 200%—have been delayed one year to give manufacturers time to “bring jobs home.”
- And in case your supply chain wasn’t already sweating, reciprocal tariffs (25%–40%) on over a dozen trading partners are now live as of August 1.
So who wins in this new era of Red, White & Tariffs?
Let’s break down the biggest publicly traded winners.
Copper Tariff = U.S. Miners Printing Money
Winner: Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE: FCX)
America’s largest copper producer just got handed a golden shovel. With imports more expensive, FCX can charge higher prices without lifting a finger.
- Domestic supply = new pricing power
- Chilean, Peruvian, and Canadian copper? All got 50% more expensive overnight.
- Watch their margins pop like campaign confetti in Q3.
Runner-Up: Southern Copper (NYSE: SCCO)
Though based in Latin America, SCCO could benefit from shifting supply routes and higher global copper prices—if it can thread the tariff needle with some crafty trade lawyers.
Bonus Beneficiary: Alcoa (NYSE: AA)
Aluminum isn’t copper, but anything that lifts U.S. base metals pricing tends to float all mining boats. Plus, trade tensions often spark infrastructure stimulus talk, and Alcoa’s ready for that too.
Pharma Gets a Reprieve—and U.S. Suppliers Just Got a Warning Shot
Winner: Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE: TMO)
Thermo Fisher is the quiet backbone of U.S. drug manufacturing—providing everything from active ingredients to analytical instruments. With pharma tariffs delayed until 2026, TMO has a wide-open runway to expand its domestic production contracts, especially as foreign competitors lose pricing leverage. Think of them as the arms dealer in this reshoring war—selling the picks, shovels, and centrifuges.
Winner: Pfizer (NYSE: PFE)
Yes, they’ve offshored some manufacturing, but Pfizer still runs major U.S. facilities. Expect a marketing blitz about “Made in America” pills… and maybe a small pricing bump while they’re at it.
Under-the-Radar Play: West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE: WST)
They make the vials, stoppers, and injectable packaging used by the pharma giants. More domestic manufacturing = more demand for WST’s products.
Reciprocal Tariffs = Logistics Shuffle + Local Sourcing Boom
Winner: Old Dominion Freight Line (NASDAQ: ODFL)
If tariffs force supply chains back onshore, regional freight demand spikes. ODFL dominates high-margin domestic LTL (less-than-truckload) freight—and now they might dominate reshoring logistics too.
Winner: Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD)
You can’t re-industrialize without steel. If imports get pricier due to reciprocal tariffs, U.S. steelmakers become critical again. Look for STLD to strut like it’s 2018 all over again.
Wildcard: Generac (NYSE: GNRC) Not directly linked to tariffs—but if we’re heading into an era of onshore energy, resilience, and critical infrastructure, Generac’s U.S.-made backup power systems start to look mighty attractive.
What’s Happening
This isn’t a pure protectionist play—it’s a repositioning play.
The copper tariff is immediate. The pharma tariff is delayed. The reciprocal tariffs are the carrot-and-stick combo.
Investors should focus on companies already operating inside the U.S. with scale, pricing power, or critical supply roles. And those who can pivot quickly will get the golden ticket.
Final Thought:
Don’t just follow the tariffs—follow the companies ready to exploit them.
The market isn’t always patriotic. But it is opportunistic.
So while the headlines scream “TRADE WAR,” smart money’s asking:
“Who just got an artificial moat?”
Answer: FCX, TMO, STLD… and maybe your next portfolio addition.
DISCLAIMER: This analysis of the aforementioned stock security is in no way to be construed, understood, or seen as formal, professional, or any other form of investment advice. We are simply expressing our opinions regarding a publicly traded entity.
© 2025 MacroHint.com. All rights reserved.