Some have rushed to take advantage of the rollback by frontloading and stockpiling shipments. Container bookings for China to U.S. routes soared nearly 300% in the days after the truce was announced, particularly as businesses anticipate end-of-year holiday shopping demand.

U.S.-China trade talks in Geneva resulted in a temporary slash of tariff rates, but the ripple effect of this tit-for-tat escalation won’t disappear anytime soon.