China ‘gravely concerned' by Trump Golden Dome plan
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday that the defense system, which Trump said would take $175 billion to build, will 'exacerbate the risk of turning outer space into a battlefield,' therefore starting an arms race and shake up the international security and arms control 'system.'
'The U.S., by putting itself first and being obsessed with pursuing absolute security, violates the principal diminish the security for all undermines global strategic balance and stability,' Mao said during a press conference.
'China is gravely concerned about this,' he continued. 'We urge the U.S. to give up developing and deploying the global antimissile system at an early date and take concrete actions to enhance strategic mutual trust between countries and safeguard global strategic stability.'
Trump announced Tuesday that the missile system will be 'fully operational' in less than three years and that the push will be led by Vice Chief of Space Operations Space Force Gen. Michael Guetlein. Canada will also be included in the effort.
'This design for the Golden Dome will integrate with our existing defense capabilities and should be fully operational before the end of my term,' the president said Tuesday during an announcement alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. 'So, we'll have it done in about three years.'
He added, 'Once fully constructed, Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built.'
The commander in chief said Alaska, Florida, Georgia and Indiana will be involved in the major defense project.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lula's Defiance Pays Off as Trump Blinks on Brazil Tariffs
(Bloomberg) -- Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's defiant response to Donald Trump's 50% tariff threat was validated Wednesday — at least in the short term — with markets and businesses breathing a collective sigh of relief at the long list of exemptions to the levies. The World's Data Center Capital Has Residents Surrounded An Abandoned Art-Deco Landmark in Buffalo Awaits Revival Budapest's Most Historic Site Gets a Controversial Rebuild San Francisco in Talks With Vanderbilt for Downtown Campus We Should All Be Biking Along the Beach Some of Brazil's biggest exports to the US, from civilian aircrafts to orange juice, won't face increases beyond the 10% rate previously imposed, softening the blow of tariffs Trump now plans to implement next week instead of Friday. It came as a shock to a Brazilian administration that had limited contact with the White House in recent weeks, instead relying on a cadre of business leaders, including the head of plane-maker Embraer SA, to plead Brazil's case in Washington. The leftist Lula had also held firm against US pressure to interfere in the judicial system and halt the prosecution of right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro. Lula has no power over the top court and his decision to defend it seemed to turn the tariff hikes into an inevitability. Instead, Trump blinked, announcing for the first time that his 50% tariff didn't mean 50% on everything. The clash with Trump has given Lula a popularity boost significant enough to tip the scales in his favor: just over 50% of Brazilians now approve of him, up from 49.7% two weeks earlier, according to LatAm Pulse, a survey conducted by AtlasIntel for Bloomberg News and published Thursday. Now, Lula's challenge is to turn the reprieve into a longer-lasting détente with his nation's second-largest trading partner. Bolsonaro's upcoming trial on charges he attempted a coup threaten to further inflame Trump, who could easily remove exemptions. Brazilian officials worry that the US's move to sanction Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes — announced mere hours before the tariff order was published — could lead to punitive measures against other public officials. Plus, key sectors that weren't exempted from the 50% tariff, including coffee and beef, may need economic assistance to help Lula buy time and goodwill among Brazilians as he keeps holding his ground against the much larger economy to his north. Brazil's central bank held interest rates steady on Wednesday, with policymakers planning to keep the benchmark Selic on hold in the face of above-target inflation and the looming threat of levies. Still, Lula declared a cautious victory. 'Today,' he declared during an event at the presidential palace, 'is a sacred day for sovereignty.' S Another Surprise In the days after Trump's initial tariff threats, Brazilian government officials had resigned themselves to their fate. Finance Minister Fernando Haddad and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin became exasperated by US demands: They argued repeatedly that Brazil runs a deficit in trade with the US, unlike most other nations facing Trump's levies. And it seemed obvious to Lula, who seized on the dispute to paint himself as Brazil's defender from foreign intervention, that Trump was dead set on picking a fight over Bolsonaro, and had little interest in talking trade. Even as the White House prepared to publish the list of exemptions, Brazil remained largely in the dark. Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira met Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Wednesday afternoon, and expressed regret that the US had politicized the 200-year-old relationship between the nations. He reiterated Lula's message that Brazil would negotiate over tariffs but not its sovereignty, he told reporters. Back in Brasilia, Lula learned of the new order from Brazil's embassy in Washington and immediately summoned Alckmin and other officials for an emergency meeting, according to two officials familiar with the proceedings. The government had been working on plans to help businesses and key sectors mitigate the impact of higher tariffs, which Bloomberg Economics estimated could deliver a 1% hit to Brazil's economy. But its sense now was that while it remained at risk, the threat was no longer so dire, the people said. The government has put the release of the plans on hold while it revises them and pursues new talks with the US, one of the officials said. In Lula's eyes, Trump's decision has brought at least some trade rationality back to the discussions, even if he still regards the dispute as primarily political in nature, one Brazilian official familiar with the situation said. Haddad doesn't expect a quick resolution, according to a person familiar with his thinking, who like the others requested anonymity to discuss internal matters. He still hasn't talked directly with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and he expects negotiations to ultimately drag on for the next two-to-three months like they have with other countries, the person said. Still, Lula's government now believes it may be able to win exemptions for additional goods the US doesn't produce, including beef and coffee, according to one of the officials. Both would represent significant victories for Brazil, the world's largest exporter of the two products. 'Chief Tariff Officer' Brazilian companies that had expected to face the brunt of the tariffs also expressed optimism. For weeks, major firms with a significant US presence had warned the Trump administration that such high tariffs would hit the American economy hard. Among them was Embraer, the world's third-largest plane-maker, which boasts more than 2,000 US employees and has pushed for an exemption similar to the one Trump had granted the European Union. In recent days, Embraer CEO Francisco Gomes Neto has been so involved in negotiations that he has jokingly referred to himself as the company's 'CTO' — or Chief Tariff Officer — in private conversations, according to multiple people familiar with the situation. 'The news confirms the positive impact and strategic importance of Embraer's activities for the Brazilian and US economies,' it said in a statement. The company's shares rose 11%. The exemptions will cover 75% of Brazilian mineral exports to the US, according to Ibram, the country's mining institute. State-run oil giant Petroleo Brasileiro SA and mining behemoth Vale SA will benefit from exceptions for crude oil and iron ore. Pulpmaker Suzano SA escaped massive tariff hikes after wood pulp was excluded. Trump's order even caught markets that had largely shrugged off the economic effects of the tariffs by surprise. Itau now estimates that Brazilian goods will face an effective tariff rate of about 30%, Fernando Goncalves, the bank's head economic research, said in an interview. The bank had been working with an effective tariff rate 10 percentage points higher, and didn't expect such a large number of exceptions. The Trump changes, Goncalves said, also make it less likely that Lula's government will retaliate with trade restrictions of its own, further diluting the economic impact. Bolsonaro Trial Looms The wild card, of course, is Bolsonaro. Already barred from seeking office in the upcoming election, the former president is set to face trial on coup attempt charges later this year. He is widely expected to face conviction that will lead to his arrest. Trump and the US have repeatedly weighed in on the case in recent weeks, and the leveling of Magnitsky Act sanctions against Judge Moraes Alexandre de Moraes was yet another escalation of its efforts to target the crusading judge who has previously clashed with US social media platforms like Trump Media & Technology Group, Rumble Inc. and Elon Musk's X. For now, even that move seems more like an attempt to appease Bolsonaro and his supporters given that Moraes has no assets or money in the US, according to the Supreme Court. 'The delay and long exemption list suggests that Trump wanted the sanctions to be 'symbolic,' only,' said Thierry Wizman, a macro strategist at Macquarie Group in New York. 'To send a signal that persuasion, rather than punishment, is his goal.' --With assistance from Daniel Carvalho, Giovanna Bellotti Azevedo, Mariana Durao and Felipe Saturnino. (Updates with AtlasIntel poll showing Lula's popularity rising in sixth paragraph.) Russia Builds a New Web Around Kremlin's Handpicked Super App Burning Man Is Burning Through Cash Everyone Loves to Hate Wind Power. Scotland Found a Way to Make It Pay Off It's Not Just Tokyo and Kyoto: Tourists Descend on Rural Japan Cage-Free Eggs Are Booming in the US, Despite Cost and Trump's Efforts ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump tariffs live updates: Trump hits out at Canada, unleashes flurry of trade surprises as deadline nears
President Trump criticized Canada on Thursday via Truth Social after it backed Palestinian statehood, saying the move would make it difficult to strike a trade and tariff deal. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh' Canada!!!," Trump wrote. Prior to Trump's attack on Canada, the US president unleashed a flurry of deals and trade moves on Wednesday, which included a new pact with South Korea. The agreement includes a 15% tariff rate on imports from the country, while the US will not be charged a tariff, according to Trump's post on Truth Social. Trump said the deal also features a $350 billion investment from South Korea in the US, as well as purchases of liquified natural gas and other energy products. Deals were also expected with Thailand and Cambodia after Monday's ceasefire. A deal with Taiwan was also reportedly near. Earlier Wednesday, the president made other moves, including threatening a 25% tariff on goods from India and slapping 50% tariffs on many goods from Brazil. Trump also suggested that beginning Aug. 1, India could pay an additional penalty because of its ties with Russia. Trump also signed several orders Wednesday: One order imposes 50% tariffs on semi-finished copper products starting Aug. 1, excluding copper crap and input materials. Another ends the de minimis exemption on low-value imports under $800, thereby applying tariffs from Aug. 29. The third order targets Brazil with 50% tariffs, but exempts key US imports like orange juice and aircraft parts. Trump reiterated he would not extend Friday's deadline for new tariff levels to kick in. The president confirmed this week that 15% represents the new tariff "floor" for countries, whose rates he has been dictating to leaders in letters in the absence of trade deals. Meanwhile, the US and China concluded their latest round of tariff and trade talks in Sweden on Tuesday, with both sides touting progress but without an immediate announcement of a further tariff delay. Also, the US and EU are racing to lock in the final details of their major new trade deal before Friday. Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world. A list of President Trump's tariff deals and non-deals with trading partners On the eve of President Trump's tariff deadline, trading partners are scurrying to reach a deal before higher tariffs are imposed. Here is a list of the deals which have been reached and the ones still undecided. Europe: Both the US and the EU reached a trade agreement on Sunday, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods and the EU plans to invest some $600 billion in the US. 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India: On Wednesday Trump threatened a 25% tariff on goods from India. Canada: President Trump hit out at Canada on Thursday, saying its support for Palestinian statehood would make it harder to strike a trade deal with the US's neighbor. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday that talks with the US may not finish by Trump's Friday deadline. Mexico: Bloomberg News reported Trump will speak with his Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday morning. Thailand and Cambodia: Deals were also expected with Thailand and Cambodia after Monday's ceasefire. Trump unleashes a flurry of trade surprises on eve of deadline President Trump has unleashed a series of tariff deals and demands on the eve of his Friday deadline, including surprises on India and copper as the US president attempts to create a new global trade order. On Wednesday Trump announced tariffs of 15% on imports from South Korea that matched that of its neighbor Japan, and a 25% levy on imports from India that included criticism of its purchases of Russian energy and weapons. Thailand and Cambodia are also heading towards getting a deal, now that they have agreed to a ceasefire Monday. Trump further shocked markets with new tariff rules on copper, sinking prices in New York by a record after exempting the most widely traded forms of the metals from 50% tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. What's in the US-EU trade deal depends on who is doing the talking Yahoo Finance's Washington correspondent Ben Werschkul looks into the detail of the US-EU trade deal: Read more here. Trump back in court Thursday to defend the tariffs he plans to impose Friday Yahoo Finance's senior legal reporter Alexis Keenan breaks down President Trump's face-off with the federal appeals court judges over his tariffs: Read more here. Pakistan and US reach a trade agreement to develop oil reserves and reduce tariffs The US and Pakistan have announced that they have reached a trade agreement that would allow Washington to develop Pakistan's untapped oil reserves and lower tariffs for the South Asian country, officials from both nation's said on Thursday. AP reports: Read more here. EU wine, spirits to face 15% US tariff from August 1: EU official Reuters reports: Read more here. Trump tariff surprise triggers implosion of massive copper trade Bloomberg reports: The global copper market is reeling from its biggest shock yet in a year of policy surprises, violent price swings and unprecedented trade dislocation. President Donald Trump went ahead with 50% tariffs on copper imports, but exempted refined metals that are the mainstay of international trading. The move triggered a record plunge for US prices, after an unprecedented period of fat profits for traders who hurried metal to America before the levies kicked in. 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Trump says Canada Palestine support threatens trade deal President Trump hit out at Canada on Thursday, saying its support for Palestinian statehood would make it harder to strike a trade deal with the US's neighbor. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh' Canada!!!," Trump wrote on Truth social. The US has inked a deal with at least one other country backing Palestinian statehood — the UK, whose prime minister, Kier Starmer, said this week it would recognize and support Palestinian statehood from September 2025. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. US sets Korea tariff rate at 15% in deal with key supplier The US announced on Wednesday that it had reached a trade deal with South Korea that will impose a 15% tariff on imports, including autos and sets up a major investment in American energy and shipbuilding. President Trump announced the deal on Truth Social writing that a "full and complete trade deal" had been reached. "I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has agreed to a Full and Complete Trade Deal with the Republic of Korea. The Deal is that South Korea will give to the United States $350 Billion Dollars for Investments owned and controlled by the United States, and selected by myself, as President," Trump wrote. "Additionally, South Korea will purchase $100 Billion Dollars of LNG, or other Energy products and, further, South Korea has agreed to invest a large sum of money for their Investment purposes." Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Trump says US has reached trade deal with Pakistan President Trump on Wednesday said the US reached a trade deal with Pakistan that will see the US work with the nation to develop its "massive" oil reserves. Trump wrote on Truth Social: Pakistan's goods faced a 29% tariff under Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs. Trump didn't specify a new tariff rate. The apparent agreement comes the same day that Trump ratcheted up tensions with India, with whom Pakistan has long had geopolitical tensions. Trump threatened 25% tariffs on India's imports to the US, plus an additional penalty for what he said was the country's cozy ties with Russia. Powell on tariff-related price increases: Companies will 'cross the street in a group' Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that the central bank is seeing the "early beginnings" of tariff inflation on goods. "They'll cross the street in a group," Powell said of companies raising prices together, citing as an example the price hikes on both washing machines and dryers that occurred during the first Trump administration, even though only washing machine imports faced higher tariffs. Powell's comments echoed some of what we've heard from companies so far this earnings season. While companies haven't hiked prices across the board, some with businesses most exposed to President Trump's tariffs have noted that they will raise prices to protect margins and offset higher costs. Procter & Gamble (PG), for instance, said on Tuesday it would raise prices by about 2.5% across its portfolio. Mondelez (MDLZ) also said it plans to raise prices, though with a "surgical" approach amid some signs of consumer stress. And L'Oréal affirmed plans to raise prices to offset higher costs from tariffs. Graco Inc. (GGG), a Minneapolis-based industrial equipment manufacturer, said it waited to see what its competitors did on price before taking a price increase. "That gave us the opportunity and the confidence to know that we could also do the same thing," CEO Mark Sheahan said. Read more live coverage of corporate earnings. Trump ends tariff break for low-value goods in blow to online retailers President Trump is ending a policy that spared lower-value goods from being impacted by tariffs. The policy will come to an end in late August and will impact goods valued at less than $800. Bloomberg reports: Read more here from Bloomberg. Trump signs order to justify 50% tariffs on Brazil President Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on Brazil by citing a 1977 law that revolves around the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro. AP reports: Read more here. Fed's Powell speaks on tariff effects on inflation: 'It doesn't feel like we're very close to the end' Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that increased tariffs are beginning to push up inflation in some categories, but longer-term inflation expectations remain anchored around the central bank's 2% goal. "Higher tariffs have begun to show through more clearly to prices of some goods, but their overall effects on economic activity and inflation remain to be seen," Powell said in a press conference after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady. Powell reiterated that central bank policymakers remain in wait-and-see mode. Though two policymakers dissented during the FOMC's meeting for the first time since 1993, as the effects of President Trump's tariff policies have divided central banker. 'It's been a very dynamic time for these trade negotiations, and lots and lots of events in the intermeeting period," Powell continued. "But we're still, you know, a ways away from seeing where things settle down." "It doesn't feel like we're very close to the end of that [trade negotiation] process, and that's not for us to judge, but it feels like there's much more to come." Trump administration announces 50% tariffs on some copper imports President Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday to impose 50% tariffs on certain copper imports starting Aug. 1. According to a White House fact sheet, "The Proclamation imposes universal 50% tariffs on imports of semi-finished copper products (such as copper pipes, wires, rods, sheets, and tubes) and copper-intensive derivative products (such as pipe fittings, cables, connectors, and electrical components), effective August 1." The measure came after a US investigation under Section 323, which US President Donald Trump ordered in February. The tariffs do not apply to the copper content of a product and they do not stack with auto 232 tariffs. Copper input materials (such as copper ores, concentrates, mattes, cathodes, and anodes) and copper scrap are also exempt from the measure. Read more here from Reuters. Trump's trade deals come with few details to flesh out big numbers President Trump has announced a flurry of trade agreements, but many so far are proving light on detail, with key aspects still under negotiation, partners giving mixed signals about what they signed up for, and big numbers shrinking under scrutiny. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Hershey grows optimistic about cocoa tariff exemption as the company cuts guidance Hershey (HSY) is hoping for a Trump administration reprieve on tariffs as rising cocoa prices weigh on its full-year outlook. "I would say that we are even more optimistic now," Hershey CEO Michele Buck said on the company's earnings call. "As we've had conversations over the past several months, we have become increasingly comfortable that the government administration understands some of our concerns about the fact that cocoa can only be grown and sourced outside of the US." Buck cited comments from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in recent days that left the door open for an exemption for cocoa products. "If you grow something and we don't grow it, that can come in for zero [tariffs]," Lutnick said on CNBC's Squawk Box on Tuesday. "So if we do a deal with a country that grows mangos, pineapple, then they can come in without a tariff. ... Coffee and cocoa will be other examples of natural resources," Lutnick added. Hershey plans to raise prices, though Buck stated that the price increases "had nothing to do with tariffs." For the year, Hershey expects to see a $170 million to $180 million cost headwind from tariffs. "We'll continue to press on tariffs relative to the cocoa exemption," Buck said, adding: "That's sort of out of our control, but [we] continue to lean there." India-US trade talks go off rails on row over farm markets Indian officials were initially confident of a trade agreement with the US, but now negotiations appear complicated by the US's announcement that it will impose a 25% tariff on Indian goods starting Aug. 1. India's high tariffs and non-monetary trade barriers remain sticking points, especially concerning agriculture. India imposes an average most-favored-nation tariff of 39% on imported farm goods, compared to 5% in the US. Reuters breaks down some of the key issues in focus: Read more here. On the eve of President Trump's tariff deadline, trading partners are scurrying to reach a deal before higher tariffs are imposed. Here is a list of the deals which have been reached and the ones still undecided. Europe: Both the US and the EU reached a trade agreement on Sunday, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods and the EU plans to invest some $600 billion in the US. China: The US and China concluded their latest round of tariff and trade talks in Sweden on Tuesday, with both sides touting progress but without an immediate announcement of a further tariff delay. UK: The UK signed a deal with the US back in May formally lowering some tariffs on cars, steal, aluminum, beef and aerospace products. The UK also agreed to reduce tariffs on US beef and ethanol exports. Japan: Tokyo clinched a trade deal with Washington this month, lowering tariffs to 15% from a previously proposed 25%, including on autos. The deal also includes investment from Japan into the US. Vietnam: The US president announced earlier this month that he had struck a preliminary trade deal with Vietnam, cutting tariffs on imports from the Southeast Asian country to 20% from the 46% level threatened in April. South Korea: Trump on Wednesday announced tariffs of 15% on imports from South Korea that matched the rate for neighbor Japan. India: On Wednesday Trump threatened a 25% tariff on goods from India. Canada: President Trump hit out at Canada on Thursday, saying its support for Palestinian statehood would make it harder to strike a trade deal with the US's neighbor. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday that talks with the US may not finish by Trump's Friday deadline. Mexico: Bloomberg News reported Trump will speak with his Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday morning. Thailand and Cambodia: Deals were also expected with Thailand and Cambodia after Monday's ceasefire. President Trump has unleashed a series of tariff deals and demands on the eve of his Friday deadline, including surprises on India and copper as the US president attempts to create a new global trade order. On Wednesday Trump announced tariffs of 15% on imports from South Korea that matched that of its neighbor Japan, and a 25% levy on imports from India that included criticism of its purchases of Russian energy and weapons. Thailand and Cambodia are also heading towards getting a deal, now that they have agreed to a ceasefire Monday. Trump further shocked markets with new tariff rules on copper, sinking prices in New York by a record after exempting the most widely traded forms of the metals from 50% tariffs. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. What's in the US-EU trade deal depends on who is doing the talking Yahoo Finance's Washington correspondent Ben Werschkul looks into the detail of the US-EU trade deal: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Washington correspondent Ben Werschkul looks into the detail of the US-EU trade deal: Read more here. Trump back in court Thursday to defend the tariffs he plans to impose Friday Yahoo Finance's senior legal reporter Alexis Keenan breaks down President Trump's face-off with the federal appeals court judges over his tariffs: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's senior legal reporter Alexis Keenan breaks down President Trump's face-off with the federal appeals court judges over his tariffs: Read more here. Pakistan and US reach a trade agreement to develop oil reserves and reduce tariffs The US and Pakistan have announced that they have reached a trade agreement that would allow Washington to develop Pakistan's untapped oil reserves and lower tariffs for the South Asian country, officials from both nation's said on Thursday. AP reports: Read more here. The US and Pakistan have announced that they have reached a trade agreement that would allow Washington to develop Pakistan's untapped oil reserves and lower tariffs for the South Asian country, officials from both nation's said on Thursday. AP reports: Read more here. EU wine, spirits to face 15% US tariff from August 1: EU official Reuters reports: Read more here. Reuters reports: Read more here. Trump tariff surprise triggers implosion of massive copper trade Bloomberg reports: The global copper market is reeling from its biggest shock yet in a year of policy surprises, violent price swings and unprecedented trade dislocation. President Donald Trump went ahead with 50% tariffs on copper imports, but exempted refined metals that are the mainstay of international trading. The move triggered a record plunge for US prices, after an unprecedented period of fat profits for traders who hurried metal to America before the levies kicked in. A large premium for New York futures over London evaporated. 'This has badly deviated from market expectations,' said Li Xuezhi, head of research at Chaos Ternary Futures Co., a unit of a commodities hedge fund in Shanghai. Those betting on higher US prices have 'wasted all their efforts' and global copper flows will return to normal, he said. Read more here. Bloomberg reports: The global copper market is reeling from its biggest shock yet in a year of policy surprises, violent price swings and unprecedented trade dislocation. President Donald Trump went ahead with 50% tariffs on copper imports, but exempted refined metals that are the mainstay of international trading. The move triggered a record plunge for US prices, after an unprecedented period of fat profits for traders who hurried metal to America before the levies kicked in. A large premium for New York futures over London evaporated. 'This has badly deviated from market expectations,' said Li Xuezhi, head of research at Chaos Ternary Futures Co., a unit of a commodities hedge fund in Shanghai. Those betting on higher US prices have 'wasted all their efforts' and global copper flows will return to normal, he said. Read more here. Lutnick: US made trade deals with Thailand and Cambodia Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. BMW sticks with guidance despite profit drop, Trump's tariffs German carmaker BMW ( maintained its full-year guidance on Thursday despite President Trump's tariffs. The company's quarterly earnings also dropped by a third, arguing that its large manufacturing presence in the country gives it an edge over rivals. Reuters reports: Read more here. German carmaker BMW ( maintained its full-year guidance on Thursday despite President Trump's tariffs. The company's quarterly earnings also dropped by a third, arguing that its large manufacturing presence in the country gives it an edge over rivals. Reuters reports: Read more here. Trump says Canada Palestine support threatens trade deal President Trump hit out at Canada on Thursday, saying its support for Palestinian statehood would make it harder to strike a trade deal with the US's neighbor. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh' Canada!!!," Trump wrote on Truth social. The US has inked a deal with at least one other country backing Palestinian statehood — the UK, whose prime minister, Kier Starmer, said this week it would recognize and support Palestinian statehood from September 2025. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. President Trump hit out at Canada on Thursday, saying its support for Palestinian statehood would make it harder to strike a trade deal with the US's neighbor. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh' Canada!!!," Trump wrote on Truth social. The US has inked a deal with at least one other country backing Palestinian statehood — the UK, whose prime minister, Kier Starmer, said this week it would recognize and support Palestinian statehood from September 2025. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. US sets Korea tariff rate at 15% in deal with key supplier The US announced on Wednesday that it had reached a trade deal with South Korea that will impose a 15% tariff on imports, including autos and sets up a major investment in American energy and shipbuilding. President Trump announced the deal on Truth Social writing that a "full and complete trade deal" had been reached. "I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has agreed to a Full and Complete Trade Deal with the Republic of Korea. The Deal is that South Korea will give to the United States $350 Billion Dollars for Investments owned and controlled by the United States, and selected by myself, as President," Trump wrote. "Additionally, South Korea will purchase $100 Billion Dollars of LNG, or other Energy products and, further, South Korea has agreed to invest a large sum of money for their Investment purposes." Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. The US announced on Wednesday that it had reached a trade deal with South Korea that will impose a 15% tariff on imports, including autos and sets up a major investment in American energy and shipbuilding. President Trump announced the deal on Truth Social writing that a "full and complete trade deal" had been reached. "I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has agreed to a Full and Complete Trade Deal with the Republic of Korea. The Deal is that South Korea will give to the United States $350 Billion Dollars for Investments owned and controlled by the United States, and selected by myself, as President," Trump wrote. "Additionally, South Korea will purchase $100 Billion Dollars of LNG, or other Energy products and, further, South Korea has agreed to invest a large sum of money for their Investment purposes." Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Trump says US has reached trade deal with Pakistan President Trump on Wednesday said the US reached a trade deal with Pakistan that will see the US work with the nation to develop its "massive" oil reserves. Trump wrote on Truth Social: Pakistan's goods faced a 29% tariff under Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs. Trump didn't specify a new tariff rate. The apparent agreement comes the same day that Trump ratcheted up tensions with India, with whom Pakistan has long had geopolitical tensions. Trump threatened 25% tariffs on India's imports to the US, plus an additional penalty for what he said was the country's cozy ties with Russia. President Trump on Wednesday said the US reached a trade deal with Pakistan that will see the US work with the nation to develop its "massive" oil reserves. Trump wrote on Truth Social: Pakistan's goods faced a 29% tariff under Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs. Trump didn't specify a new tariff rate. The apparent agreement comes the same day that Trump ratcheted up tensions with India, with whom Pakistan has long had geopolitical tensions. Trump threatened 25% tariffs on India's imports to the US, plus an additional penalty for what he said was the country's cozy ties with Russia. Powell on tariff-related price increases: Companies will 'cross the street in a group' Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that the central bank is seeing the "early beginnings" of tariff inflation on goods. "They'll cross the street in a group," Powell said of companies raising prices together, citing as an example the price hikes on both washing machines and dryers that occurred during the first Trump administration, even though only washing machine imports faced higher tariffs. Powell's comments echoed some of what we've heard from companies so far this earnings season. While companies haven't hiked prices across the board, some with businesses most exposed to President Trump's tariffs have noted that they will raise prices to protect margins and offset higher costs. Procter & Gamble (PG), for instance, said on Tuesday it would raise prices by about 2.5% across its portfolio. Mondelez (MDLZ) also said it plans to raise prices, though with a "surgical" approach amid some signs of consumer stress. And L'Oréal affirmed plans to raise prices to offset higher costs from tariffs. Graco Inc. (GGG), a Minneapolis-based industrial equipment manufacturer, said it waited to see what its competitors did on price before taking a price increase. "That gave us the opportunity and the confidence to know that we could also do the same thing," CEO Mark Sheahan said. Read more live coverage of corporate earnings. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that the central bank is seeing the "early beginnings" of tariff inflation on goods. "They'll cross the street in a group," Powell said of companies raising prices together, citing as an example the price hikes on both washing machines and dryers that occurred during the first Trump administration, even though only washing machine imports faced higher tariffs. Powell's comments echoed some of what we've heard from companies so far this earnings season. While companies haven't hiked prices across the board, some with businesses most exposed to President Trump's tariffs have noted that they will raise prices to protect margins and offset higher costs. Procter & Gamble (PG), for instance, said on Tuesday it would raise prices by about 2.5% across its portfolio. Mondelez (MDLZ) also said it plans to raise prices, though with a "surgical" approach amid some signs of consumer stress. And L'Oréal affirmed plans to raise prices to offset higher costs from tariffs. Graco Inc. (GGG), a Minneapolis-based industrial equipment manufacturer, said it waited to see what its competitors did on price before taking a price increase. "That gave us the opportunity and the confidence to know that we could also do the same thing," CEO Mark Sheahan said. Read more live coverage of corporate earnings. Trump ends tariff break for low-value goods in blow to online retailers President Trump is ending a policy that spared lower-value goods from being impacted by tariffs. The policy will come to an end in late August and will impact goods valued at less than $800. Bloomberg reports: Read more here from Bloomberg. President Trump is ending a policy that spared lower-value goods from being impacted by tariffs. The policy will come to an end in late August and will impact goods valued at less than $800. Bloomberg reports: Read more here from Bloomberg. Trump signs order to justify 50% tariffs on Brazil President Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on Brazil by citing a 1977 law that revolves around the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro. AP reports: Read more here. President Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on Brazil by citing a 1977 law that revolves around the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro. AP reports: Read more here. Fed's Powell speaks on tariff effects on inflation: 'It doesn't feel like we're very close to the end' Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that increased tariffs are beginning to push up inflation in some categories, but longer-term inflation expectations remain anchored around the central bank's 2% goal. "Higher tariffs have begun to show through more clearly to prices of some goods, but their overall effects on economic activity and inflation remain to be seen," Powell said in a press conference after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady. Powell reiterated that central bank policymakers remain in wait-and-see mode. Though two policymakers dissented during the FOMC's meeting for the first time since 1993, as the effects of President Trump's tariff policies have divided central banker. 'It's been a very dynamic time for these trade negotiations, and lots and lots of events in the intermeeting period," Powell continued. "But we're still, you know, a ways away from seeing where things settle down." "It doesn't feel like we're very close to the end of that [trade negotiation] process, and that's not for us to judge, but it feels like there's much more to come." Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that increased tariffs are beginning to push up inflation in some categories, but longer-term inflation expectations remain anchored around the central bank's 2% goal. "Higher tariffs have begun to show through more clearly to prices of some goods, but their overall effects on economic activity and inflation remain to be seen," Powell said in a press conference after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady. Powell reiterated that central bank policymakers remain in wait-and-see mode. Though two policymakers dissented during the FOMC's meeting for the first time since 1993, as the effects of President Trump's tariff policies have divided central banker. 'It's been a very dynamic time for these trade negotiations, and lots and lots of events in the intermeeting period," Powell continued. "But we're still, you know, a ways away from seeing where things settle down." "It doesn't feel like we're very close to the end of that [trade negotiation] process, and that's not for us to judge, but it feels like there's much more to come." Trump administration announces 50% tariffs on some copper imports President Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday to impose 50% tariffs on certain copper imports starting Aug. 1. According to a White House fact sheet, "The Proclamation imposes universal 50% tariffs on imports of semi-finished copper products (such as copper pipes, wires, rods, sheets, and tubes) and copper-intensive derivative products (such as pipe fittings, cables, connectors, and electrical components), effective August 1." The measure came after a US investigation under Section 323, which US President Donald Trump ordered in February. The tariffs do not apply to the copper content of a product and they do not stack with auto 232 tariffs. Copper input materials (such as copper ores, concentrates, mattes, cathodes, and anodes) and copper scrap are also exempt from the measure. Read more here from Reuters. President Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday to impose 50% tariffs on certain copper imports starting Aug. 1. According to a White House fact sheet, "The Proclamation imposes universal 50% tariffs on imports of semi-finished copper products (such as copper pipes, wires, rods, sheets, and tubes) and copper-intensive derivative products (such as pipe fittings, cables, connectors, and electrical components), effective August 1." The measure came after a US investigation under Section 323, which US President Donald Trump ordered in February. The tariffs do not apply to the copper content of a product and they do not stack with auto 232 tariffs. Copper input materials (such as copper ores, concentrates, mattes, cathodes, and anodes) and copper scrap are also exempt from the measure. Read more here from Reuters. Trump's trade deals come with few details to flesh out big numbers President Trump has announced a flurry of trade agreements, but many so far are proving light on detail, with key aspects still under negotiation, partners giving mixed signals about what they signed up for, and big numbers shrinking under scrutiny. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. President Trump has announced a flurry of trade agreements, but many so far are proving light on detail, with key aspects still under negotiation, partners giving mixed signals about what they signed up for, and big numbers shrinking under scrutiny. Bloomberg reports: Read more here. Hershey grows optimistic about cocoa tariff exemption as the company cuts guidance Hershey (HSY) is hoping for a Trump administration reprieve on tariffs as rising cocoa prices weigh on its full-year outlook. "I would say that we are even more optimistic now," Hershey CEO Michele Buck said on the company's earnings call. "As we've had conversations over the past several months, we have become increasingly comfortable that the government administration understands some of our concerns about the fact that cocoa can only be grown and sourced outside of the US." Buck cited comments from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in recent days that left the door open for an exemption for cocoa products. "If you grow something and we don't grow it, that can come in for zero [tariffs]," Lutnick said on CNBC's Squawk Box on Tuesday. "So if we do a deal with a country that grows mangos, pineapple, then they can come in without a tariff. ... Coffee and cocoa will be other examples of natural resources," Lutnick added. Hershey plans to raise prices, though Buck stated that the price increases "had nothing to do with tariffs." For the year, Hershey expects to see a $170 million to $180 million cost headwind from tariffs. "We'll continue to press on tariffs relative to the cocoa exemption," Buck said, adding: "That's sort of out of our control, but [we] continue to lean there." Hershey (HSY) is hoping for a Trump administration reprieve on tariffs as rising cocoa prices weigh on its full-year outlook. "I would say that we are even more optimistic now," Hershey CEO Michele Buck said on the company's earnings call. "As we've had conversations over the past several months, we have become increasingly comfortable that the government administration understands some of our concerns about the fact that cocoa can only be grown and sourced outside of the US." Buck cited comments from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in recent days that left the door open for an exemption for cocoa products. "If you grow something and we don't grow it, that can come in for zero [tariffs]," Lutnick said on CNBC's Squawk Box on Tuesday. "So if we do a deal with a country that grows mangos, pineapple, then they can come in without a tariff. ... Coffee and cocoa will be other examples of natural resources," Lutnick added. Hershey plans to raise prices, though Buck stated that the price increases "had nothing to do with tariffs." For the year, Hershey expects to see a $170 million to $180 million cost headwind from tariffs. "We'll continue to press on tariffs relative to the cocoa exemption," Buck said, adding: "That's sort of out of our control, but [we] continue to lean there." India-US trade talks go off rails on row over farm markets Indian officials were initially confident of a trade agreement with the US, but now negotiations appear complicated by the US's announcement that it will impose a 25% tariff on Indian goods starting Aug. 1. India's high tariffs and non-monetary trade barriers remain sticking points, especially concerning agriculture. India imposes an average most-favored-nation tariff of 39% on imported farm goods, compared to 5% in the US. Reuters breaks down some of the key issues in focus: Read more here. Indian officials were initially confident of a trade agreement with the US, but now negotiations appear complicated by the US's announcement that it will impose a 25% tariff on Indian goods starting Aug. 1. India's high tariffs and non-monetary trade barriers remain sticking points, especially concerning agriculture. India imposes an average most-favored-nation tariff of 39% on imported farm goods, compared to 5% in the US. Reuters breaks down some of the key issues in focus: Read more here. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Hill
20 minutes ago
- The Hill
We can't just let states go rogue and redistrict more than once a decade
Consider this a call to state reason. Here in Maryland, I am introducing legislation to automatically redraw our state's eight congressional districts if and only if another state breaks from our shared norms and chooses to redraw their lines more than once this decade. Texas and others are currently threatening to do so — even though they, Maryland and other states have already redrawn their U.S. House districts for this decade based on the 2020 U.S. Census. If these states are allowed to change the rules and districts in the middle of the coming election, the remaining states will be forced to counter this blatant power grab. Even if it takes states years to implement a response, a strong response must be offered to disincentivize such conduct now and in future election cycles. But I still hope we can all step back from the brink. Indeed, Texas leaders ran this play once before, in 2003, when they drew and re-drew congressional districts until they got the result they wanted. Georgia followed suit soon after, but the rest of the states looked on quietly as this questionable, anomalous behavior played out in that decade. Now, as we watch history repeat itself two decades later, we cannot again allow states to go rogue and form a lasting precedent for re-drawing congressional districts whenever they want. Since each state draws its own lines to elect its members of Congress, we at least need parity on this fundamental question of how often a state can redraw its share of the combined 435-member House of Representatives. Parity — and predictability — on these basic ground rules is essential to the integrity of our shared democracy. Fairness dictates either that all states should redistrict whenever they want, or that none should do so. The reasonable choice is the latter. It should be obvious that subjecting the public — and Congress itself — to endless redistricting should be avoided. Unfortunately, this is not obvious to President Trump. He is attempting to rig the system and is publicly encouraging efforts to make state officials to 'find' votes for him in Congress. Amid plummeting approval ratings, Trump's strategy this time around is asking state leaders to keep redrawing the lines of their state's U.S. House districts until he gets the election results he wants. The last time the president needed help 'finding' votes, numerous state leaders dared to say no. We need that same courage now. Meanwhile, there is another, better way forward. States can choose reason by adopting an interstate compact to govern redistricting — at least on this question of how often they are allowed to redistrict. I urge states to adopt such a treaty until Congress puts these ground rules into federal law or the courts see fit to step in and properly referee for our fragile democracy. But again, I hope state leaders can all quickly step back from the brink. With any luck, my legislation and call to action will be moot, and states will stick with the norm of only drawing new congressional districts one time after the decennial census. But if rogue states repeat their history of trying to one-up their fellow American states, the other states must unfortunately respond in kind this time. Hopefully, that coming spiral will give members in both parties the courage of reason to end this race to the bottom.
