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Big Plan Highlights

Big Plan's CEO Fang Fang was honored to join the very first Business Insights Luncheon hosted by Austin Business Journal and Amplify Credit Union! The event, Purpose Through Profit: Doing Good by Doing Well, brought together Central Texas leaders from nonprofits and purpose-driven companies to share stories and spark ideas on how business and impact go hand in hand.

It was a joy to serve as a panelist alongside inspiring, smart, and fun people:
Moderator: Stacy Armijo | Chief Experience Officer, Amplify Credit Union
Bobby Jenkins | President, ABC Home & Commercial Services
Steve Knebel | Partner, Maxwell Locke & Ritter
Adam Orman | Owner, L'Oca D'Oro

If you're a decision-maker in your business or organization, this new ABJ series is one to watch.
Big Plan recently shared our insights on the latest round of tariffs and their impact on international business. Thank you to Austin Business Journal and 36Kr, a leading voice in China for technology and financial news, for inviting us to contribute to this important global conversation. We’re proud to bring perspective from both sides of the Pacific and help inform the dialogue around trade, policy, and economic strategy.

News & Updates

International

Europe’s Governments Pledge Unity in Tariff Fight
The members of the eurozone will stand together in support of retaliation against the U.S. if talks to resolve the trade conflict are unsuccessful, Ireland’s finance minister said Friday.

Paschal Donohoe was speaking to reporters as head of the Eurogroup of finance ministers, after a meeting in Warsaw.

“I am absolutely certain we will work together,” Donohoe said.

Members of the eurozone have different levels of reliance on trade with the U.S., and varying degrees of vulnerability should the dispute move beyond the trade in goods.
China’s Xi Jinping says there are no winners in a tariff war as he visits Southeast Asia
China’s leader Xi Jinping said no one wins in a trade war as he kicked off a diplomatic tour of Southeast Asia on Monday, presenting China as a force for stability in contrast with U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest moves on tariffs,

Although Trump has paused some tariffs, he has kept in place 145% duties on China, the world’s second-largest economy.

“There are no winners in a trade war, or a tariff war,” Xi wrote in an editorial jointly published in Vietnamese and Chinese official media. “Our two countries should resolutely safeguard the multilateral trading system, stable global industrial and supply chains, and open and cooperative international environment.”
How Mexico Emerged From Tariff Broadside With an Edge Over Asia
President Trump’s first round of tariffs and trade threats threw Mexico onto the defensive. Now that Trump is aiming at the rest of the world, Mexico suddenly finds itself with an edge over rival manufacturing hubs.

Mexico was spared the high tariffs set to be imposed Wednesday on China and Vietnam, two countries that, like the U.S.’s southern neighbor, are big global exporters with low-cost labor. While Mexico faces some tariffs, including a new 25% levy on non-U.S. content in cars, most of its trade with America remains tariff free under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Tesla Halts Orders in China on U.S. Imported Models
Tesla has stopped accepting new orders in China for two car models that it imports from a factory in the United States, after the Chinese government imposed steep tariffs on American imports.

On Friday, Tesla’s website in China removed the “order” button from the Model S sedan and Model X sport utility vehicle. Customers still have the option of buying one of those models, produced at its Fremont, Calif., factory, if the company has existing inventory.

Tesla did not explain why customers could no longer order those models, but the change came a day after China raised its import tariffs on U.S. goods to match the level of President Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs at the time.

USA

Trump Moves to Put New Tariffs on Computer Chips and Drugs
The Trump administration took steps on Monday that appear likely to result in new tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceutical products, adding to the levies President Trump has put on imports globally.

Federal notices put online Monday afternoon said the administration had initiated national security investigations into imports of chips and pharmaceuticals. Mr. Trump has suggested that those investigations could result in tariffs.

The investigations will also cover the machinery used to make semiconductors, products that contain chips and pharmaceutical ingredients.
Trump considers pausing his auto tariffs as the world economy endures whiplash
President Donald Trump on Monday suggested that he might temporarily exempt the auto industry from tariffs he previously imposed on the sector, to give carmakers time to adjust their supply chains.

“I’m looking at something to help some of the car companies with it,” Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office. The Republican president said automakers needed time to relocate production from Canada, Mexico and other places, “And they need a little bit of time because they’re going to make them here, but they need a little bit of time. So I’m talking about things like that.”

Matt Blunt, president of American Automotive Policy Council, an association representing Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, said the group shared Trump’s goals of increased domestic production.
Trump doubles down on keeping US Steel control in US hands
U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said he doesn't think a foreign company should control U.S. Steel, repeating comments made last week that dimmed hopes for the $15 billion bid by Japan's Nippon Steel to buy the U.S. firm.

Trump said on Wednesday he did not want to see U.S. Steel "go to Japan," sending its shares down 7%. The two companies later said they were working closely with the Trump administration to "secure a significant investment."
NVIDIA is going to make AI chips and supercomputers in the US
In a decision almost certainly informed by the recent tariff chaos, NVIDIA is going to start making some of its AI chips and supercomputers in the US. The company announced that it's building and testing its Blackwell chips in Arizona and it plans to manufacture its AI supercomputers — presumably the recently announced DGX Spark and DGX Station — in Texas.

NVIDIA says TSMC is already making Blackwell chips in Phoenix, Arizona and the company is partnering with Amkor and SPIL for testing and packaging. In Texas, the company's supercomputers will be made by Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas. "Mass production at both plants is expected to ramp up in the next 12-15 months," NVIDIA says.
AMD CEO says ready to start chip production at TSMC's plant in Arizona
Advanced Micro Devices said on Tuesday its key processor chips would soon be made at TSMC's new production site in Arizona, marking the first time that its products will be manufactured in the United States.

Though AMD's plans predate U.S. President Donald Trump's return to office, tech companies' efforts to diversify their supply chains have taken on added significance given his escalating tariff war.

Texas

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon lavishes special attention on Texas in shareholder letter
JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon dedicated two pages of his annual letter to shareholders highlighting the financial giant's billions of dollars of economic impact in Texas.

The April 7 letter, as one might expect, focuses on President Donald Trump's tariff policy and the impact it could have on the U.S. economy. Dimon warned that Trump's policy will lead to higher inflation, increase the likelihood of a recession and threaten to weaken the United States' standing in the world.

"Economics is the longtime glue, and America First is fine, as long as it doesn’t end up being America alone," Dimon wrote in the 57-page letter.
Texas Stock Exchange new details revealed: Biggest backers, listing rules and more
TXSE Group Inc., the parent company of the upstart stock exchange, submitted its registration on Jan. 31, but the SEC did not make the filing public until April 4. Publication marks a key milestone in the regulatory approval process and now opens the filing up to public comment. The filing outlines the rules for membership, authorized traders and how pricing, trading and listing will work. It also includes TXSE’s financial statements and information about its ownership.

Led by CEO James Lee, TXSE aims to shake up the trading industry long dominated by the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. The Texas Stock Exchange would also help further cement Dallas' standing as the second-largest financial hub in the U.S. behind New York, earning it the moniker "Y'all Street."
Renewable energy companies face little regulation in Texas. A state lawmaker wants to change that.
Texas’ renewable energy industry is booming.

Accounting for nearly 90% of new electricity generating capacity, wind, solar and battery storage industries have established themselves as a reliable source of energy for the state’s grid — and positioned Texas as a national leader in the renewable energy arena.

Legislation by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, will dramatically test its ability to maintain its momentum.

Austin

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport announces new flight service while anticipating capacity cuts
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has announced new flights starting this month while anticipating capacity cuts with the softening economy’s effect on travel demand.

Jason Alexander, Austin’s deputy chief of airport affairs, gave a briefing on air service updates to the Airport Advisory Commission at its regularly scheduled meeting on April 9.
Austin is staring at a $33 million shortfall next fiscal year. It might ask voters for help.
The City of Austin is looking at a $33 million shortfall in next year’s budget, forcing city leaders to tighten the spending belt.

The budget pays for things like staff salaries, including for police officers and firefighters; projects involving parks and roads; and programs like rental assistance and homelessness initiatives. It's primarily made up of revenue from property and sales taxes.

A five-year financial outlook presented to the City Council on Tuesday pointed to some financial strain due to flat sales tax revenue, limited property tax revenue and an end to some federal funding
Panelists talk pipelines, batteries and other answers to Austin’s energy demands
Austin’s fast-paced growth and the increasing energy demands of large industries like data centers and advanced manufacturing are pushing the region’s energy infrastructure toward a critical juncture, according to experts who spoke at the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s recent Infrastructure Summit.

Energy leaders from major regional suppliers, utilities and infrastructure companies participated in a panel discussion that detailed the urgency and complexity of planning for future reliability in the Austin area. Panelists highlighted that the existing energy systems are straining under a surge in demand that continues to outpace current capacity expansions.

Opinion Editorials

Can Trump’s Tariff Offensive Deliver New American Jobs?

Events

East Austin Growth Summit 2025 (Thursday, April 24, 2025)
ERCOT Innovation Summit (May 6, 2025)
ATX Policy Forum 2025 (Wednesday, May 14th)
2025 Federal Advocacy Visit (Monday, June 23rd - Wednesday, June 25th)
IEEE Energy Conversion Congress & Expo (Oct 19 - 23, 2025)

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