Financial markets have become a tailspin due to the Trump administration’s push for a massive increase in tariffs on imports last week.
The tariffs announced by President Donald Trump at the White House event on April 2nd have led to major sales in markets around the world over the coming days. In the US, the S&P 500 index has fallen by almost 11% in a few days since the tariff announcement. Dow Jones industrial average and Nasdaq composites have declined by similar amounts.
However, some lines have risen. A row representing CNBC and Fox Business Network viewers. Both ratings rose a few days after the announcement.
From Wednesday to Friday (April 2-4), CNBC averaged 293,000 viewers during market time (9:30am to 4pm), an increase of 36% over the past four weeks. The network owned by NBCuniversalsal has increased by 40% in recent weeks with a full date and time programming slate running from 6am to 7pm, with an average of 250,000 viewers.
The Fox business had similar benefits. The network rose 15% from the March average from Wednesday to 4pm to Friday from 9pm to 4pm. From the opening bell, from 9:30am to 5pm, including Kudlow, the most watched show – Fox Business, averaged 251,000 viewers. This is a 22% profit a week ago.
CNBC brought in more viewers with a major news demographic of 25-54 adults during market hours last week. From Wednesday to Friday, it averaged 72,000 viewers to FBN 17,000 from 9:30am to 5pm
CNBC also has a massive online traffic growth, with 83% more page views from Wednesday to Friday, an 83% higher than the average daily average across the website, Mobile App and Google AMP. New subscriptions for direct consumer products increased 34% compared to the first quarter average.
The stock index, although not sharp on Monday and Tuesday, is reportedly considering cutting or banning US films in response to the continued downward trend and further shaking tariffs on China’s imports in response to the Trump administration.
Market disruptions are also reflected behind the scenes of business channel programming. “We’re the happiest when we tear the show five minutes before the top of the hour. But we tear the show halfway through the air,” FBN anchor Liz Kraman told the Hollywood Reporter on Monday. “Yeah, my god. We’ve been moving things like a steroid chess board.”
