US small businesses worried about tariffs

Duties can cause job loss in sectors that rely on imported materials, say insiders

A large number of small businesses in the United States that rely on imported goods have expressed concern over the impact of the 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods recently enacted by US President Donald Trump.

More than half of the small businesses polled by the Small Business Majority — a national organization with over 85,000 members and 1,500 business and community organizations — admitted being "concerned" over the impact of tariffs on their livelihoods.

The US has an estimated 33.2 million small businesses that make up 99.9 percent of all of the companies in the country and contribute 44 percent of gross domestic product, according to the US Chamber of Commerce.