#trade-policy

#trade-policy

By the numbers: Confidence dipped one point from the previous quarter, to 48, per the report from the Conference Board, a nonpartisan think tank and the Business Council, an association of CEOs. A number below 50 reflects more negative than positive responses. 64% of CEOs said that they are preparing for a mild economic slowdown with slightly increased inflation pressure - a one-two punch known as stagflation. Only 22% said they were preparing for a "balanced economy with trend growth and gradual reduction in inflation pressure."

Tesla's price point for its "more affordable" models is still higher than Elon Musk, Tesla's CEO, floated in 2020. The reasons for these sticky prices may be bigger than Tesla. On Tuesday, Tesla launched "standard" versions of the Model Y and Model 3, at $39,990 and $36,990, respectively. The "standard" models are between $5,000 and $5,500 cheaper than the flagship versions - sans Autosteer and a radio - and the market was not enthusiastic.

"China has fired a loaded gun at the American economy, seeking to cut off critical minerals used to make the semiconductors that power the American military, economy, and devices we use every day including cars, phones, computers, and TVs," Moolenaar said. "Every American will be negatively affected by China's action, and that's why we must address America's vulnerabilities and build our own leverage against China."

The EU shocked the UK steel industry on Tuesday with an announcement of 50% import tariffs with no apparent carve-out for metal crossing the Channel. The EU is the UK's biggest customer: 78% of all UK steel exports, or 1.9m tonnes, went to the bloc in 2024. The prospect of punitive tariffs on a large chunk of that would make many British products uncompetitive overnight.

The Supreme Court will likely agree with lower courts that ruled President Donald Trump can't use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose broad tariffs, according experts surveyed by JPMorgan. The bank hosted a conference in London last month, and in a note on Monday it summarized highlights from a session on Trump's trade policies. Trade and legal experts said the odds that the high court will rule against the Trump administration are 70%-80% and expect a decision by the end of the year, according to the note, which added that the justices may not follow traditional ideological divides.

The number of farm operations filing for bankruptcy remains at historically low levels but has jumped sharply this year as a crisis in the agricultural economy drags on. In the second quarter, there were 93 filings, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, up from 88 in the first quarter and nearly double the 47 at the end of 2024.

On Wednesday, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) sent a letter to Dufour, questioning whether the company invited Trump to the men's finals match in early September as a play to wiggle out of the 39% tariff. She went on to write that the move raises questions about whether you are cultivating a relationship with President Trump in attempts to secure lucrative tariff exemptions for Rolex products.

According to the Silver Bulletin's polling averages, his net approval rating was at minus-8 percent on July 25 and is at minus-8.4 percent on September 22. Trump's second-term job-approval averages started at plus-11.7 percent on January 21, went underwater in March, bottomed out in mid-July at minus-10.3 percent, then increased a bit and stayed put. That means Trump is less popular than any post-World War II president at this stage in their presidency, other than himself during his first term.

"I just completed a very productive call with President Xi of China. We made progress on many very important issues, including Trade, Fentanyl, the need to bring the War between Russia and Ukraine to an end, and the approval of the TikTok Deal," Trump wrote. "The call was a very good one. We will be speaking again by phone, appreciate the TikTok approval, and both look forward to meeting at APEC!"

A government spokesperson said: "We are still the only country to benefit from a 25% tariff on steel exports to the US, reinforcing our position as a trusted source of high-quality steel." Other countries face tariffs of 50% and so senior government sources insist that the UK is in a competitive position relative to others, and added they believed there, although senior government sources insist there "remains a path to zero".

The commission is the EU's executive arm. It proposes laws that impact the lives of around 450 million people across 27 countries, and monitors whether those rules are respected. In recent years, it has helped Europe to survive fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, break its dependency on Russian energy supplies and cope with a trade war launched by a traditional ally like the U.S.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

Since launching Flexport in 2013, Ryan Petersen has helped more than 10,000 companies move over $175 billion worth of goods worldwide, raising $2.3 billion and redefining how supply chains are managed in a volatile, tech-driven era. After stepping down as CEO in 2022, he returned less than a year later to steady the ship and chart its next phase of growth.

The campaign stems from Donald Trump's tariff announcements in April, after which U.S. Customs and Border Protection posted a notice exempting computers and smartphones from import duties. On the company's UK product page, the Rivelia machine now appears in two versions: the De'Longhi Machine at £749.99, and the De'Longhi Computer at £637.49. That price difference reflects the 15% tariff on UK goods imported to the U.S.

The European Commission took the first step on Wednesday to ratify a long-awaited free-trade package with Latin American countries: an agreement with Mexico, and, crucially, one with members of the Mercosur trading bloc. The EU spent over 25 years negotiating the deal with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, the four founding members of the Southern Common Market, or Mercosur. Bolivia, which joined the group only last year, and Venezuela, whose membership has been suspended, are not included in the deal.

Trump has suggested those could come in August, but nearing the end of the month, there's still no clarity there. As tech firms brace for chip tariffs, Brzytwa will share CTA's forecast based on a survey of industry experts, revealing the unique sourcing challenges chip tariffs will likely pose. It's a particular pain point that Trump seems likely to impose taxes not just on imports of semiconductors but of any downstream product that includes a chip.

President Donald Trump won a second term with a promise to support the working-class voters who backed him. But many workers now feel less secure and find their jobs harder to do - squeezed by immigration crackdowns, federal layoffs and funding cuts, and weakened labor protections. The uncertainty fueled by these policies, combined with Trump's trade wars, is beginning to surface in economic data, economists say.

The deadline for new US tariffs on India has passed early Wednesday, doubling the total levies on goods from the South Asian economic giant to 50%. US President Donald Trump had earlier announced the increase to pressure buyers of Russian fossil fuels, a major source of revenue for Moscow. Trump's trade adviser, Peter Navarro, said last week that "India doesn't appear to want to recognize its role in the bloodshed," in reference to Russia's war in Ukraine.