Marketplace Morning Report Don't forget: There's still a trade war going on
Mar 12, 2026
David Ortega, Michigan State food economics professor, warns price caps can cause shortages and calls for supply-chain fixes. Justin Ho, Marketplace economic reporter, links Middle East conflict and energy shocks to tricky Fed decisions. Nancy Marshall-Gensher, Marketplace trade reporter, outlines a Section 301 probe into possible import overproduction and tariffs. Short, topical discussion on trade, energy, and grocery prices.
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U.S. Starts Section 301 Probe Of Multiple Countries
- The U.S. launched a Section 301 probe into over a dozen countries for flooding the market with cheap imports.
- The probe requires investigation, public comment, and a May hearing and aims to replace a temporary 10% import tax expiring in July.
Middle East Conflict Complicates Fed Rate Choices
- The Fed must balance fighting inflation with protecting jobs while watching how the Middle East war affects energy prices.
- Rising energy can feed into core inflation (e.g., airfare fuel costs) or slow growth enough to force rate cuts.
Don’t Rely On Price Caps To Fix Food Inflation
- Avoid crude supermarket price caps because they distort supply incentives and can produce shortages and lower quality.
- Address root causes instead: invest in supply chain resilience, agricultural R&D, and productivity to lower food inflation long-term.