Conversations on Central Banking: Examining the Effects of Tariffs on the Economy

The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and its Center for Inflation Research hosted Cleveland Fed Conversations on Central Banking. The session, “Examining the Effects of Tariffs on the Economy,” was held on Thursday, May 29th, 2025, from 11:00 - 11:45 AM Eastern.

In this Conversations on Central Banking webinar, panelists discussed:

• What impact do tariffs have on the economy?
• What are the effects of trade uncertainty?
• What can we learn from past episodes when tariffs were enacted? 

Each panelist gave a 5-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute panel discussion and 10 minutes of a moderated Q&A.

Distinguished Panelists

• Kyle Handley, Associate Professor of Economics, Director, Center for Commerce and Diplomacy, School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego
• Steven B. Kamin, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
• David Weinstein, Carl S. Shoup Professor of Japanese Economy, Columbia University
• Moderator: Archie Hall, Britain Economics Correspondent, The Economist

About Conversations on Central Banking

This webinar series brings together thought leaders from around the world to discuss inflation and monetary policy. The conversations are geared toward experts and the public at large.

Each virtual event features a panel discussion and a Q&A session. Past events have featured panelists from the Federal Reserve, other central banks, academia, and industry.

The series is free and open to the public. It’s hosted by the Cleveland Fed’s Center for Inflation Research.

Each session focuses on a timely topic relevant to central banks. Examples of past topics:

• The Fed’s Dual Mandate
• The Unequal Burden of Inflation
• Why is the Fed’s Inflation Target 2%?
• Inflation Risk: US vs Europe