U.S. stocks face a tenuous moment with the arrival of President Donald Trump's latest tariffs. The benchmark S&P 500 is down about 5% from its February 19 all-time closing high as a series of weakening U.

A private survey showed American factory activity last month edged closer to stagnation—slowing growth combined with faster inflation—as new orders and employment contracted. A gauge of prices paid for materials jumped to the highest since June 2022. So how should investors react to all this smoke on the horizon?

Stocks fell on Wall Street Monday, ahead of President Donald Trump’s latest deadline on tariffs. The S&P 500 was 1% lower in afternoon trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 402 points, or 0.

"Over time, they are a tax on goods. I mean, the Tooth Fairy doesn't pay 'em!" Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett told CBS.

Legendary Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett likened tariffs to an economic "act of war" in an interview with CBS News and said that tariffs ultimately serve as a tax on goods.

Stocks were falling again Monday on tariff news. Add consumer confidence and jobless claims data into the mix, and it appears volatility will be the norm in the short term.

KEY TAKEAWAYS Warren Buffett said in a rare TV interview that tariffs are an "act of war" and could cause inflation.The legendary investor and CEO of conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway made those comments Sunday in an interview with CBS News for a documentary on Katherine Graham,

Warren Buffett broke his silence on President Trump’s trade policies, comparing his planned tariffs on Canada and Mexico to an “act of war.” The legendary investor behind Berkshire Hathaway – which has large businesses in insurance,

Investors have been trying to pinpoint the potential winners and losers for weeks. They are ditching risky corners of the stock market for areas perceived as more insulated from Trump’s trade salvos.

US Tariff Decision The United States government is set to impose new tariffs on goods imported from Canada, Mexico, and China starting March 4. These tariffs will increase the cost of products entering the US market from these countries.