Furniture, Appliances, and Construction Among the Hardest Hit by Tariffs, Chicago Fed Says

President Donald Trump's tariffs have hit a broad variety of household goods the hardest, according to new research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.The Chicago Fed studied the impact of the tariffs imposed last year and found many housing-related industries among the most exposed to cost increases from March to December 2025. Tariff costs were highest in manufactured industries, which affected a broad swath of household goods.The White House has tried to blunt the impact of tariffs on some home essentials. But the levies inject uncertainty into building and buying. Retailers report price increases, and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) estimates that about 10% of of building materials used in residential construction are imported.Electrical appliances, equipment, and components saw almost a 3% increase in input costs. Furniture and related products were close to 2.5%. Construction was at about 1.5%. Quite a few other household products also notched notable increases, including motor vehicles and parts, textiles, and fabricated metal.On the other hand, utilities, insurance, and rental and leasing services were among the least impacted by tariffs, according to...