Article Summary
In a September 2017 ruling, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) found that imports of solar panels harmed U.S. manufacturers, opening the door for the Trump administration to impose tariffs on foreign solar panels and modules. The initial complaint to the ITC was filed in early 2017 by bankrupt solar panel manufacturer Suniva, who argued that a rapid increase in imports of inexpensive foreign product put U.S. manufacturers at risk. The decision was opposed by many in the solar panel industry, arguing that tariffs will hurt the industry as a whole. While Suniva commissioned a report that showed devastating job losses without industry protection, an independent analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance found a ruling for Suniva would, at most, only create 6,400 jobs and "downstream job losses would almost certainly exceed any manufacturing gains."
Source: Tom DiChristopher, "US trade agency rules imports harmed solar panel makers, setting up Trump tariff decision," cnbc.com, September 22, 2017.
Refer to the Article Summary. All else equal, if the Trump administration decides to enact protectionist measures, such as a tariff, against foreign solar panels, the price of solar panels in the United States will ________ and the quantity of solar panels demanded in the United States will ________.
• increase; increase
• increase; decrease
• decrease; increase
• decrease; decrease
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