
European shares rise as US court ruling on Trump tariffs boosts sentiment
European shares climbed on Thursday as a U.S. trade court's decision to block President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs sparked a risk-on sentiment across global markets.
The continent-wide STOXX 600 index (.STOXX), opens new tab was up 0.4%, as of 0715 GMT, with regional indexes also trading in the green. Germany's DAX 40 rose 0.5% to hover near a record high.
The Court of International Trade ruled that Trump overstepped his authority by imposing the April 2 across-the-board duties on imports from U.S. trade partners.
On Wall Street, stock index futures rose by more than 1.5% as the court's decision provided some relief from persistent trade uncertainties.
Overall sentiment was also lifted by AI bellwether Nvidia, which surpassed quarterly sales expectations in after-hours trading on Wednesday.
European stocks recover after Trump delays EU tariffs
European AI-exposed stocks such as ASML and Schneider Electric each gained about 3%, while the region's technology index led sector gains with a 1.7% rise.
European carmakers, sensitive to tariff-centric pressures, rose in early trading. Shares in Stellantis gained 2.5%, Porsche up 1% and Volkswagen added 1.2%.
Investors also favoured luxury stocks, with Kering, Christian Dior and Burberry rising between 3% and 3.6%.
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Business Recorder
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European industry hit hard by Trump tariffs, Salzgitter CEO warns
DUESSELDORF/FRANKFURT: Salzgitter, Germany's second-biggest steelmaker, on Monday warned that Washington's tariff policy was dealing a severe blow to European industry, after the U.S. administration unveiled plans to double steel import levies to 50%. 'The erratic tariff policy of the USA is hitting Europe's economy hard - especially Germany,' Salzgitter CEO Gunnar Groebler said in a written statement. Shares in Salzgitter fell along with larger European peers Thyssenkrupp and ArcelorMittal , all down between 0.5 and 2.1%. Groebler said that apart from the direct tariffs on exports to the United States, there was also increased import pressure on the EU market as a result of rising volumes of cheaper Asian steel in Europe. Steelmakers in South Korea, Vietnam tumble on Trump's new tariffs According to Germany's steel association, the United States accounted for around a fifth, or 4 million tonnes, of European steel exports outside of the EU, making it the most important export market. 'An increase in steel import duties in the USA to 50% should prompt the EU Commission to accelerate its efforts to implement the measures under the Steel and Metals Action Plan,' Groebler said.


Business Recorder
25 minutes ago
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Steelmakers in South Korea, Vietnam tumble on Trump's new tariffs
SEOUL/SINGAPORE: Shares in South Korean and Vietnamese steelmakers, major Asian exporters of the metal to the United States, dropped on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would double tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to 50%. Trump announced on Friday the new steel and aluminium levies, which take effect on June 4, intensifying a global trade war just hours after he accused China of violating an agreement with the U.S. to mutually roll back tariffs and trade restrictions for critical minerals. Steel industry experts said that while the increased tariff would cause significant disruption for major exporters to the United States, the rates could go down in light of some of Trump's trade policy reversals. 'Frequent shifts in the Trump administration's tariff policies introduce considerable uncertainty regarding the actual impact … I think the final result will be far lower than initially projected, especially concerning its duration,' said Chelsea Ye, senior analyst at metals research firm McCloskey. South Korea's Industry Ministry said on Monday it would respond to the 50% tariff on steel products as part of its trade discussions with Washington in order to minimise the impact on industry. South Korea was the fourth-biggest exporter of steel to the United States last year, behind Canada, Mexico and Brazil, according to American Iron and Steel Institute data. The top sources of US steel and aluminium imports South Korea's Industry Ministry said in a statement that it had held an emergency meeting with officials from the country's major steelmakers, including POSCO and Hyundai Steel. Shares of South Korean steelmakers lost ground on Monday, with POSCO and Hyundai Steel falling 3% and SeAH Steel Corp down 8%. In Vietnam, major steelmakers Hoa Sen Group and Nam Kim Steel fell 2.8% and 3.4% respectively. Vietnam Steel Corp also fell 2.7%. Vietnam's exports of steel and steel products to the U.S. fell 27% in the first four months of this year, government data showed. The 50% tariffs will add to the challenges facing Korean steel exporters, which have refrained from sharply boosting exports to the U.S. to avoid Washington's scrutiny, despite rising U.S. steel prices, an industry executive told Reuters. 'It will be a burden to exporting companies if there are no additional steel price increases in the U.S,' he told Reuters, asking not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue. Despite tariffs, South Korea's steel shipments to the United States rose 12% in April from a year earlier, according to trade data. Steel and aluminium tariffs were among the earliest Trump imposed when he returned to office in January. The tariffs of 25% on most steel and aluminium imported to the U.S. went into effect on March 12. Industry officials said the tariffs had increased U.S. steel prices, affecting several sectors, including home appliances, cars, and construction. In Europe, Germany's second-biggest steelmaker Salzgitter warned that Washington's tariff policy was dealing a severe blow to European industry. Trade talks South Korea, a major U.S. ally, has called for an exemption from tariffs on steel, autos and others items, during talks with the United States. Seoul agreed in late April to craft a trade package by the end of the 90-day pause on Trump's reciprocal tariffs in July, but it has been difficult for negotiators to make big decisions due to a political leadership vacuum ahead of elections on Tuesday. In late March, Hyundai Steel announced a plan to build a $5.8 billion factory in Louisiana in response to U.S. tariffs, but the factory will not open until 2029. In April, Hyundai Steel's bigger rival POSCO signed a preliminary deal to make an equity investment in the factory project. In India, which relies heavily on the U.S. for aluminium exports, industry experts also warned of a major hit. 'This is going to have a detrimental impact,' B.K. Bhatia, director-general at the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries, the country's leading mining body, told Reuters. 'The U.S. is the biggest market for Indian aluminium. Government has been negotiating so we are hopeful that with talks, the tariffs will come down.' The U.S. is the world's largest steel importer, excluding the European Union, with a total of 26.2 million tons of imported steel in 2024, according to the Department of Commerce. As a result, the new tariffs will likely increase steel prices across the board, hitting industry and consumers alike. 'The latest hike will prompt these sellers to renegotiate with their U.S. buyers on how to, and who, will shoulder the extra 25% cost,' said Thaiseer Jaffar, founder of Dubai-based steel industry event organiser Global Steel Summit.


Business Recorder
28 minutes ago
- Business Recorder
Italian Republic Day: Message from Marilina Armellin, Ambassador of Italy to Pakistan
June 2nd commemorates, not the creation of Italy as a modern state in 1861, but the momentous popular vote in 1946 when Italians chose the Republic over the Monarchy and elected the Constitutional Assembly that was to write our Constitutional Charter. It was one of the first democratic constitutions written after the tragedy of World War Two, widely seen as a model for many other countries going through a similar democratization process. June 2nd is truly the National Day of the people of Italy. One of the first acts of the Italian Republic in international relations was to establish diplomatic relations with the newly born Islamic Republic of Pakistan, one of the first four European countries to do so. Since then, our two Countries have cultivated a deep-seated friendship. 2025 has witnessed a conspicuous uptick in our bilateral strategic partnership, with a number of consultations and exchange of visits at the highest political level. After the visit to Rome of the Minister of Interior of Pakistan, Hon. MohsinNaqvi, and the Minister of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Hon. ChaudhrySalikHussain, in June 2024, the Minister of Interior of Italy, Hon. MatteoPiantedosi, visited Islamabad on May 6th and 7th 2025. The tangible outcome of this exchange of visits was the signature of two bilateral instruments of paramount importance: the 'Declaration on the establishment of the Joint Committee on promoting cooperation in preventing and combating transnational organized crime' and the 'Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and Labour Mobility'. These agreements are milestones that open to the many talented Pakistani youth a sound legal pathway to settle in Italy and contribute to the well-being of our society but also to that of Pakistan through their remittances. In 2024, the flow of remittances from Italy to Pakistan amounted to around 580 million euros, a testament to the deep-rooted people-to-people connections between our two countries. Italy remains home to the largest Pakistani community in the European Union, an industrious diaspora, dotted with several excellencies in entrepreneurship, research, education, craftmanship, and even literature. At the same time, the Ministers of Interior of our two Countries reaffirmed their resolute intent to strengthen their cooperation and information exchange to counter, not only structured migrant trafficking organizations, but also so-called facilitators. In 2025, Pakistani nationals constitute the third largest nationality landing illegaly in Italy (after Bangladesh and Eritrea), with 1,716 arrivals, compared to 690 in the same period in 2024. The geopolitical landscape is quickly evolving, and deepening mutual understanding on key international issues is also critical. On February 28th 2025, Rome hosted the sixth round of Bilateral Political Consultations between the Secretary General of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, H.E. Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, and the Pakistani Foreign Secretary, H.E. Ambassador AmnaBaloch, in preparation for possible other political visits to Pakistan. A wide range of bilateral and regional issues were discussed, such as the Middle East and Ukraine, reflecting the scope and depth of our mutual interests. Other landmark events have invigorated the friendship between Italy and Pakistan over the last year. In the second half of 2024 the port of Karachi welcomed for the fourth and fifth time in recent years the visit of Italian naval ships. While three other Italian ships – FREMM Margottini, FREMM Carabiniere and multi-purpose ship Morosini – had already visited in past years the economic capital of Pakistan, always with a significative official delegation from the Italian Navy, October 2024 saw the exceptional docking in Karachi, for the first time, of our Carrier Strike Group: aircraft carrier Cavour and frigate Alpino. In December 2024, Karachi hosted the iconic sailing ship of the Italian Navy, beautiful Amerigo Vespucci. Italian technological advancements, including the defense sector, have been manifold in recent times, and Italy is part of a small group of Nations able to deploy a Carrier Strike Group with air and naval assets that can guarantee the security of international spaces and freedom of navigation. Italy does not ignore the mounting risks arising from Pakistan's unsettled bilateral relationships with its neighbors, within the broader context of increasing global tensions. In keeping with our doctrine of the enlarged Mediterranean, Italy has gradually increased the level of relationships with the Asia-Pacific region, demonstrating her intention to pursue the protection of trade routes to Suez (essential to our trade) and the principle of freedom of navigation. Italian engagement, including participation in military exercises in the Pacific, as well as the round-the-world voyage of ship Vespucci, make visible Rome's active commitment to strengthening ties with allies and partners in the region. In this regard, Italy considers Pakistan as an indispensable strategic partner in the region, and in this light we should view the growing ties between the defense industries of both countries – let me just highlight the Italian participation in several exercises/event like Aman, PIMEC, IDEAS. In particular, the presence of the Italian major national defense companies alongside their Pakistani counterparts at IDEAS and during the visits of our naval ships signals our willingness to get to know each other better, exchange views, and explore possible further avenues for collaboration. Whilst you can refer to the articles by the Director of the Italian Cooperation Agency and the Trade Commissioner for more details on the latest development projects and some stories of economic and business success, there would be something amiss here if I did not expand on the intensity and tenacity of our bilateral cultural ties. In 2025, the Italian Archaeological Mission in Pakistan blows out 70 candles on its birthday cake. It was in 1955 that Italian archaeologists first fell in love with Swat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. Especially Professor Giuseppe Tucci, a world-class scholar in Tibetan and Buddhist studies, who first understood the significance of this chunk of Swat Valley, roamed by buffaloes and goats. Since then, Italian archaeologists have continuously worked in the region, playing a key role in unearthing the roots of the Indo-Pakistani subcontinent. Italian experts have made ground-breaking discoveries, including the unearthing of the ancient city of Bazira and the stunning painted pottery from the Chalcolithic period. Over the years, we have worked tirelessly with incredibly motivated Pakistani counterparts, especially in KPK, to preserve the country's cultural treasures. In 2014, the Italian Government launched the unique "Debt for Heritage" initiative, which enabled us to restore and rebuild several archaeological sites, including the Swat Museum and the colossal Jahanabad Buddha. In 2021, yet one big surprise. Excavations revealed the complete ShahiVishnuite temple in Barikot, including its podium, floors, and striking marble decorations from the TurkiShahi period. By the end of the excavations, over 2,200 objects, including sculptures, coins, inscriptions, ceramics, ornaments, iron weapons, and stone tools, were found, restored, and handed over to the Swat Museum. But Italy has not only worked in KPK. In Sindh, an imposing citadel with 55 towers surrounds the site of Banbhore, not far from Thatta, on the banks of what used to be a branch of the Indus Delta. It is not an overstatement to say that Banbhore was like the Dubai of its era, such a cosmopolitan place that Greek, Latin, Aramaic, Persian, and Arabic sources all mention it, and remnants of religious buildings show that Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam co-existed peacefully for a long time. This ancient city, now an archaeological park of over 64 acres, served as a vital harbour town and market on the monsoon routes of the Indian Ocean. It connected eastern Africa with the Hindu-Iranian regions, and the Orient (China and Inner/Central Asia) with the Occident (the Roman empire and Byzantium). The site's history spans about 15 centuries, from the 3rd-4th Century BCE until the 12th–early 13th Century CE, connecting Banbhore to northern regions and Inner-Central Asia well before the Muslim faith arrived in Pakistan. Italian missions have been unearthing archaeological evidence that confirms Banbhore's major role since pre-Islamic times through the Parthian-Kushan, Saka, and Sasanian eras. In Islamic times, the site served as a key outlet to the sea for the Arab Abbasid Province of Great Sindh and later the Habbari Emirate. With the disintegration of the Emirate in the early 11th Century, Banbhore became the capital of an autonomous dominion, while maintaining for a couple of centuries its significance as harbour town and market for luxury goods, until the Indus River changed its course and sadly condemned the site to a slow death. Many more achievements could be mentioned, but more importantly much more can be done. With the Italian team in Islamabad and Karachi, I renew my commitment to broaden and strengthen the bonds between the two Countries and Peoples. Viva la Repubblica italiana! Pak-Italy dostizindabad! Copyright Business Recorder, 2025