The twists and turns in U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies have not only rattled global financial markets but also taken investors on a roller-coaster ride. Adding to the uncertainty are tariff-related legal challenges and Trump's assertion that he will hammer out bilateral deals with trade partners.

When President Trump rocked the economy with an unprecedented attack on global trade in April, the plan was dismissed as swaggering, capricious and unsustainable.

President Trump's trade war and ongoing tariff uncertainty is scrambling retail order timelines that require planning for next spring to start now.