Trade Intelligence Blog

Tariff policy analysis and trade intelligence, updated when policy changes — not on a publishing schedule.

section_301August 1, 20264 min read

Section 301 Refund Claims After the HMTX Ruling: What Brokers Must File by September 4

The Supreme Court let the Section 301 List 3/4A tariffs stand. CIT now gives importers a hard September 4 deadline to either preserve remaining claims or consent to dismissal.

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USMCAJuly 31, 20264 min read

USMCA Joint Review Round Three: What It Means for Your Entries Before September

USMCA's third joint review round wrapped July 23 with a fourth round set for September. Here's what the six named subjects (autos, steel, ag, and more) mean for brokers before then, and what to actually do about it at the entry level.

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tariffsJuly 29, 20264 min read

IEEPA Tariffs Were Struck Down. Here's How to Protect Your Refund Claim.

The Supreme Court threw out the IEEPA tariffs and a new Section 301 regime replaced them. Refunds on the duties your clients already paid do not flow automatically. Here is how to preserve the claims at the entry level before liquidation closes the door.

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ComplianceJuly 29, 20265 min read

Most USMCA Qualification Tools Are Locked Behind a Sales Call. Ours Isn't.

Ask most tariff platforms whether your product qualifies for USMCA and you get a demo request form instead of an answer. Triangle's USMCA qualification check is free, requires no signup, and runs in your browser right now.

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usmcaJuly 28, 20263 min read

USMCA Rules of Origin Are Under Review. Here's What to Check Before They Change.

USTR has recommended tightening USMCA rules of origin, starting with autos, as the 2026 Joint Review heads to its fourth round in September. Here is what to check on your entries before the bar moves.

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StrategyMarch 26, 20267 min read

Before You Finalize Your Mexico Site Search: Why Yucatan Belongs in the Evaluation

Monterrey, Tijuana, and Queretaro earned their reputations. But Mexico's nearshoring capacity is expanding beyond the traditional hubs. Yucatan is one of the most compelling additions to the evaluation list.

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StrategyMarch 25, 20268 min read

How to Compare Total Landed Cost: Mexico vs China for US-Bound Manufacturing in 2026

The question is no longer whether Mexico is cheaper than China. The question is how much cheaper, on which product categories, and under which tariff scenarios.

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ComplianceMarch 24, 20266 min read

AD/CVD Orders: The Tariff Layer Most Importers Don't Know They're Paying

Section 301 gets the headlines. AD/CVD orders quietly add 50-300% on top of everything else. Most importers only find out at liquidation.

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Policy UpdateMarch 23, 20267 min read

The USMCA Review Hits July 1, 2026. Here is What Every Importer Needs to Know.

USTR Greer told Congress he was not prepared to recommend renewal without changes. Commerce Secretary Lutnick confirmed Trump expects to "renegotiate." This is not a formality.

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StrategyMarch 22, 20267 min read

The Tariff Tool Most Manufacturers in Mexico Overlook: How PROSEC Cuts Input Costs to 0-5%

PROSEC covers 24 industrial sectors. It does not require goods to be exported. And most US companies operating in Mexico either do not know it exists or do not understand how it interacts with IMMEX.

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Policy UpdateMarch 21, 20266 min read

Before You Quote That Landed Cost: How the Hormuz Closure Changes Every Calculation

Every importer running a landed cost model built on January 2026 assumptions is now working with dead numbers. The duty stack did not change. Everything around it did.

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StrategyMarch 19, 20267 min read

India as the Next Nearshoring Hub: 5 Trade Agreements Your Competitors Have Not Found Yet

Most supply chain conversations about China diversification jump to Vietnam or Mexico. India has been sitting quietly with five trade agreements most US importers have not mapped.

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StrategyMarch 17, 20267 min read

China Plus One: What the Tariff Math Actually Looks Like in 2026

The tariff spread between China-origin and USMCA-qualified Mexico-origin goods is wider in 2026 than at any point since Section 301 launched. Here is the math.

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ComplianceMarch 14, 20268 min read

What Is GRI Classification and Why It Matters for a CBP Audit

CBP does not just check whether you got the right HTS code. They check whether you got there the right way. GRI-based reasoning is the difference between a defensible classification and an audit vulnerability.

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ComplianceMarch 12, 20267 min read

Vietnam Sourcing and the Transshipment Risk Nobody Talks About

In 2017, Vietnam exported $46 billion to the US. By 2024, $130 billion. CBP noticed. If you moved sourcing to Vietnam since 2018, your origin documentation is under more scrutiny than you may realize.

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ComplianceMarch 10, 20266 min read

The Wrong HS Code Costs More Than the Tariff Difference

Most importers focus on the tariff rate difference between two HS codes. The real cost of misclassification is what comes after CBP finds it first.

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Trade PolicyMarch 7, 20266 min read

Why USMCA Does Not Save You from Section 232 Steel Tariffs

USMCA does not exempt Canadian and Mexican steel from Section 232. You get a 50% reduction, not elimination. The full exemption only comes with melt-and-pour documentation. Here is the math.

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Policy UpdateMarch 5, 20267 min read

How to Calculate Your IEEPA Tariff Refund After the Supreme Court Ruling

If you imported goods from China, Russia, or other IEEPA-targeted countries between 2018 and February 20, 2026, you may be owed a refund. Here is the step-by-step calculation guide.

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Policy UpdateMarch 3, 20265 min read

Section 122 Expired on July 24, 2026. What Happened and What Replaced It.

Section 122's 150-day clock ran out on July 24, 2026. Written before the deadline, when the outcome was still open, and kept as published. Here are the three scenarios and how to model each one.

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ComplianceFebruary 28, 20266 min read

How to Pull the Right ACE Report for Your IEEPA Refund Claim

Standard ACE canned reports don't give you what you need to file IEEPA refund claims. The Entry Summary Universe does. Here's the step-by-step.

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ComplianceFebruary 27, 20265 min read

Before You File for an IEEPA Refund: Why Liquidation Status Changes Everything

Most importers calculating their IEEPA refund exposure are skipping the step that determines which filing path they can actually use. Liquidation status changes everything.

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Policy UpdateFebruary 26, 20265 min read

Section 122 Replaced IEEPA in February 2026 and Expired on July 24, 2026. Here's What Every Importer Needs to Know.

Section 122 of the Trade Act took effect February 24, 2026 and expired on July 24, 2026. Kept as published. For entries today the layer that applies is the Section 301 forced-labor action.

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Policy UpdateFebruary 25, 20264 min read

IEEPA Tariffs Are Dead. Here's How to Find Out What You Overpaid.

On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs. If you've been paying them, you may be owed a refund. The window won't stay open forever.

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