30 h. ago ‘How dare the US attack the UK’s free speech’ Independent readers call out trade deal demands

Our community share their views on the US trade deal ultimatum, from outrage at ‘JD Vance’s demand to scrap LGBT+ protections’ to calls for Keir Starmer to ‘defend British laws, not bow to US pressure’

Economics

67 h. ago China’s Xi Jinping is in Vietnam to figure out how to ‘screw’ the US, says Trump

US president issues scathing view of Chinese counterpart’s motivations amid escalating trade war with Beijing Xi Jinping’s tour of South-east Asia this week is likely intended to “screw” the United States, President Donald Trump has suggested, as the Chinese leader embarks on five-day tour of some nations hardest hit by Trump’s tariffs.China’s president arrived in Hanoi on Monday, where he met Vietnam’s top leader, To Lam, called for stronger trade ties, and signed dozens of cooperation agreements, including on enhancing supply chains. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago 'Wolf of Wall Street' gives his view on whether Trump is committing insider trading with tariff trade war

Stocks soared on Trump's tariffs pause with the S&P500 closing up 9.5%, while the market gained back about $4 trillion, or 70%, of the value it had lost over the previous four trading days

Politics

7 d. ago US markets close with steep losses as Trump tariffs branded ‘worst self

Wall Street stocks tumbled again as investors remain jittery while former US treasury chief criticises Trump’s economic policyChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Economics

7 d. ago The Guardian view on the tariff war pause: the Trump trade shambles is not over | Editorial

The US president blinked first, but this is just a time-out. The threat to the global economy remains real.It was Donald Trump who blinked first. Never forget that. China is unlikely to overlook its importance. A week after launching an all-out global trade war, the US president paused significant parts of it for 90 days. Having insisted that he would stick with the random tariffs he imposed on most trading nations, Mr Trump suddenly decreed that he would reduce most of them to 10%. It was a major humiliation.Yet 10% is still a significant tariff to bear for nations exporting to the US. This is also only a pause until July, not a withdrawal, so the uncertainty remains. And huge tariffs still remain on China (now hiked to 145%), Canada and Mexico (both 25%), as well as on all US imports of steel, aluminium and cars (also 25%). Mr Trump is now substituting a US-world conflict with a US-China one. The two largest economies in the world – which between them have generated around ha...

Politics

7 d. ago US tariffs on China now 145%, as Trump’s policy branded ‘worst self

Total combines Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ tariffs of 125% and the 20% fentanyl levy, while former US treasury chief criticises Trump’s economic policyChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Former US treasury secretary slams Trump tariffs as ‘worst self

Janet Yellen, who also is a former Federal Reserve chair, says Trump’s economic policies increase likelihood of recessionRead the latest full reportUS-China trade war intensifies as Beijing’s tariffs come into effect after Trump pauseChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Wall Street opens lower despite hopes that ‘well advanced’ trade talks will yield deals

Ursula von der Leyen says EU “want to give negotiations a chance”, by pausing countermeasures for 90 daysRead the latest full reportUS-China trade war intensifies as Beijing’s tariffs come into effect after Trump pauseChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Economics

7 d. ago Wall Street to fall back despite hopes that ‘well advanced’ trade talks will yield deals

Ursula von der Leyen says EU “want to give negotiations a chance”, by pausing countermeasures for 90 daysRead the latest full reportUS-China trade war intensifies as Beijing’s tariffs come into effect after Trump pauseChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Economics

7 d. ago Euro strengthens as EU delays retaliatory tariffs against US by 90 days in response to Trump’s pause – business live

Ursula von der Leyen says EU “want to give negotiations a chance”, by pausing countermeasures for 90 daysRead the latest full reportUS-China trade war intensifies as Beijing’s tariffs come into effect after Trump pauseChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Economics

7 d. ago China’s new tariffs on US goods take effect as Asian markets rally after Trump’s tariff reversal – business live

China’s 84% retaliatory tariffs on US goods, announced on Wednesday, are due to come into effect on ThursdayRead the latest full reportChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Economics

8 d. ago The Guardian view on Trump’s trade war: no one will win, but China is taking the long view | Editorial

Beijing is braced for turbulence due to swingeing tariffs. But it sees a bigger, more promising story of US hegemonic declineNo one, least of all consumers and workers, will win the ferocious trade war that Donald Trump has unleashed. This is “a game of who can bear more pain”, in the words of one analyst. And because trade is at the heart of US ties with its biggest tariff target, China, the rest of the bilateral relationship is likely to deteriorate. That too is concerning.Yet China, despite the economic struggles of recent years, may see a longer-term opportunity in the current crisis. Beijing’s response to the initial US tariff announcements was measured. Now it vows to “fight to the end” and has imposed an additional 50% tariff on US goods – taking the total to 84% – in retaliation for tariffs that Mr Trump now says will hit 125%.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for p...

Politics

8 d. ago Whoopi Goldberg tirades against Trump tariffs on The View: ‘Not what the American people want’

‘The View’ co-host expressed her bafflement about Trump’s international trade war

Politics

8 d. ago Whoopi Goldberg lambasts Trump tariffs on The View: ‘Not what the American people want’

‘The View’ co-host expressed her bafflement about Trump’s international trade war

Politics

8 d. ago ‘I have a deficit at my grocery store’: Senator Rand Paul mocks Trump’s odd trade views

Paul calls trades ‘mutally beneficial,’ adding: ‘If you want to sell me your coat and I give your $200 for it, we both agree to it and we’re both happy with the trade.’

Politics

2 w. ago Republicans join Democrats in Senate vote to rescind Trump Canada tariffs

Resolution that would block tariffs passes 51-48 in Senate, in vote that shows Republican unease over president’s plansSeveral Republican senators joined Democrats to pass a resolution that would block Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, a rare rebuke of the president’s trade policy just hours after he announced plans for sweeping import taxes on some of the country’s largest trading partners.In a 51-48 vote, four Republicans – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and both Kentucky senators, the former majority leader Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul – defied Trump’s pressure campaign and supported the measure. Democrats used a procedural maneuver to force a vote on the resolution, which would terminate the national emergency on fentanyl Trump is using to justify tariffs on Canada. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Global cost of Trump trade war ‘could reach $1.4tn’; Goldman Sachs cuts UK growth forecast over tariff spillovers – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as UK business secretary warns Britain will be hit by ‘Liberation Day’ tariffsTrump prepares to unveil reciprocal tariffs as markets brace amid trade war fearsTrump’s new tariffs could backfire if they are set too high, explains Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management:“Wednesday’s reciprocal tariffs could push the effective tariff rate another 4 percentage points higher. Anything further than that could move tariffs beyond a revenue-raising ‘sweet spot,’ in our view.Globally, the risk of high tariffs disrupting trade and economic activity would potentially offset any US federal revenue gains that the Trump administration seeks to use to further domestic policies.”“It appears tomorrow there’ll be no country in the world exempt from the initial announcements”.I tihnk that our trading relatinship is a very strong, and fair and balanced one, so I don’t think there is the need to do this. Continue ...

Economics

2 w. ago Global cost of Trump trade war ‘could reach $1.4tn’; tariff fears hurt UK factories – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as UK business secretary warns Britain will be hit by ‘Liberation Day’ tariffsTrump prepares to unveil reciprocal tariffs as markets brace amid trade war fearsTrump’s new tariffs could backfire if they are set too high, explains Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management:“Wednesday’s reciprocal tariffs could push the effective tariff rate another 4 percentage points higher. Anything further than that could move tariffs beyond a revenue-raising ‘sweet spot,’ in our view.Globally, the risk of high tariffs disrupting trade and economic activity would potentially offset any US federal revenue gains that the Trump administration seeks to use to further domestic policies.”“It appears tomorrow there’ll be no country in the world exempt from the initial announcements”.I tihnk that our trading relatinship is a very strong, and fair and balanced one, so I don’t think there is the need to do this. Continue ...

Economics

2 w. ago Gold at record high as markets brace for Trump tariffs ‘to affect every country’ – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as UK business secretary warns Britain will be hit by ‘Liberation Day’ tariffsTrump prepares to unveil reciprocal tariffs as markets brace amid trade war fearsTrump’s new tariffs could backfire if they are set too high, explains Mark Haefele, chief investment officer at UBS Global Wealth Management:“Wednesday’s reciprocal tariffs could push the effective tariff rate another 4 percentage points higher. Anything further than that could move tariffs beyond a revenue-raising ‘sweet spot,’ in our view.Globally, the risk of high tariffs disrupting trade and economic activity would potentially offset any US federal revenue gains that the Trump administration seeks to use to further domestic policies.”“It appears tomorrow there’ll be no country in the world exempt from the initial announcements”.I tihnk that our trading relatinship is a very strong, and fair and balanced one, so I don’t think there is the need to do this. Continue ...

Economics

2 w. ago Trump administration cuts tens of millions of dollars from Planned Parenthood – live

HHS reportedly gives organization 10 days to prove that they’ll comply with orders that ban DEI and other initiativesImmigration remains a strength for Donald Trump, but his handling of tariffs is getting more negative feedback, according to a poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About half of US adults approve of Trump’s approach to immigration, the survey shows, but only about four in 10 have a positive view of the way he’s handling the economy and trade negotiations. The poll indicates that many Americans are still on board with Trump’s efforts to ramp up deportations and restrict immigration. But it also suggests that the Republican president’s threats to impose tariffs – which have been accompanied by tumbling consumer confidence and wild stock market swings – might be erasing his advantage on another issue that he made central to his winning 2024 campaign. The economy was a drag on then president Joe Biden, who saw the share of Americans who ...

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