US President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2025. LEHTIKUVA / AFP
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Uncertainty surrounding US President Donald Trump’s trade policies is weakening the outlook for Finnish exports, according to a survey by Finland’s Chambers of Commerce. The results show that 80 percent of responding companies believe Trump’s approach to trade and foreign policy will have a negative impact on their business.
In just three months, Finnish exporters’ confidence in the US market has dropped significantly.
In December, 45 percent of companies saw growth potential in the US, but by March, that figure had fallen to 28 percent. At the same time, the number of companies seeing the US market as less important rose from three percent to 16 percent.
Päivi Pohjanheimo, Director of International Affairs at Finland’s Central Chamber of Commerce, said the shift reflects a growing unease about the unpredictability of Trump’s trade policies. “Exporters expected changes, but few anticipated this level of turmoil,” she said.
The survey, conducted from 4–7 March, included responses from 110 Finnish exporting companies. Alongside concerns about Trump’s policies, companies cited declining demand, the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the global economic slowdown, and rising costs as major factors weakening their export outlook.
A key concern is Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on European imports. If such tariffs are introduced, only nine percent of companies would consider expanding their operations in the US, down from 18.5 percent in December. The share of companies ruling out expansion in the US has jumped from 38 percent to 66.4 percent over the same period.
Pohjanheimo warned that tariffs would have negative consequences not just for Finnish exporters but also for American consumers. “Trade restrictions and erratic tariff policies create uncertainty, which ultimately weakens competitiveness—not only for Finnish businesses but for the US itself,” she said.
The survey also highlighted growing concerns about global instability. Of the respondents, 16 percent said uncertainty was having a significant impact on their operations, 48 percent saw some impact, and 24 percent reported a slight effect. Only 11 percent believed unpredictability had no impact on their business.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
