Trump tariffs live updates: US-China trade framework takes shape as Trump says deal 'done'

Yahoo

3 days ago

The US and China agreed to a framework and implementation plan to ease tariff and trade tensions on Tuesday. President Trump signaled his approval, saying the deal was "done" pending sign-off from him and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump and other US officials indicated the deal should resolve issues between the two countries on rare earths and magnets, though a report later indicated China would only loosen restrictions on rare earth mineral exports for a six-month period. Trump also said the US will allow Chinese students in US colleges, a sticking point that had emerged in the weeks following the countries' mid-May deal in Geneva.
Trump said the US would impose a total of 55% tariffs on Chinese goods. Yahoo Finance's Ben Werschkul reports, citing a White House official, that Trump arrived at that figure by adding together an array of preexisting duties and not any new tariffs.
The president combined the existing 20% tariffs over illegal drugs and migration with 10% "Liberation Day" tariffs, with other sector-specific duties in place that average out to 25% — but only apply to certain goods.
Outside analysts, such as the budget lab at Yale, have calculated that the effective tariff rate on China overall is more like 33%. Trump said China's tariffs on US imports would be 10%.
Meanwhile, though Trump's most sweeping tariffs continue to face legal uncertainty, on Tuesday, the president received a favorable update. A federal appeals court held a decision saying his tariffs can temporarily stay in effect. The US Court of International Trade had blocked their implementation last month, deeming the method used to enact them "unlawful."
Trump celebrated the ruling as a "great and important win."
Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet
The latest twists and turns in Trump's trade policy come as the president pushes countries to speed up negotiations. The US sent a letter to partners as a "friendly reminder" that Trump's self-imposed 90-day pause on sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs is set to expire in early July.
White House advisers have for weeks promised trade deals in the "not-too-distant future," with the only announced agreement so far coming with the United Kingdom. US and Indian officials held trade talks this week and agreed to extend those discussions on Monday and Tuesday ahead of the July 9 deadline.
Here are the latest updates as the policy reverberates around the world.
China will ease curbs on exports of rare earth minerals for six months as part of a new trade understanding with the US, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The move could add more uncertainty for American manufacturers, particularly the auto industry, which has been pushing for easier access. The Journal notes that the move gives China leverage down the line if tensions ratchet back up.
From the report:
In celebrating the agreement early Wednesday, President Trump noted "any necessary rare earths will be supplied, up front, by China." He did not mention any time limit on loosening those restrictions.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in testimony before Congress on Wednesday, painted Wednesday's agreement as an incremental step on the longer road to a more comprehensive trade deal.
"A trade deal today or last night was for a specific goal, and it will be a much longer process," he told a House committee.
When asked if current US tariff levels on Chinese imports would not change again, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC, "You can definitely say that."
"We're in a great place with China," Lutnick said Wednesday. While the US-China truce framework is awaiting final word from US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lutnick added, "Both sides are really positive."
The agreement is largely viewed as reestablishing the "handshake" that US and Chinese officials reached in Geneva last month, as details on a larger trade pact remain scant.
Trump posted on social media this morning that the US has imposed 55% tariffs on China, a number that does not include any new tariffs but instead comprises some preexisting tariffs, Trump's fentanyl tariffs, and 10% "Liberation Day" tariffs.
Lutnick touted that, as a result of the two-day talks, the US will gain access to rare earths and magnets, while the Chinese delegation sought to remove the US's export controls.
He added that the trade deficit remains an ongoing issue, stating, "We're going to examine how China can do more business with us."
May's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed inflation pressures eased on a monthly basis despite investor concerns that President Trump's tariffs would accelerate the pace of price increases.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.1% on a monthly basis in May and 2.4% on an annual basis, a slight uptick from April's 2.3% gain.
Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal reports:
Read more here.
I would keep an eye on consumer names off the news of a trade deal with China floated by President Trump this morning (see our prior post below).
Seeing upticks premarket in heavily China-exposed retailers such as Nike (NKE), Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), and Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF). The premarket gains here aren't mind-blowing in part because tariffs appear to still be in place.
Trump posted on Truth Social:
OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE, SUBJECT TO FINAL APPROVAL WITH PRESIDENT XI AND ME. FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA. LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!). WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%. RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!"
A variety of market observers quickly weighed in hours after Tuesday evening's unveiling to suggest that the deal may not have a lot of meat on the bones — but at least relations are no longer moving in the wrong direction.
The talks perhaps underscored how unlikely a comprehensive trade deal is anytime soon, noted AGF Investments Greg Valliere, "but at least relations may not worsen as talks continue throughout the summer."
Both sides promised additional talks in the weeks or months ahead, but none have yet been scheduled.
Veronique de Rugy, a professor at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, suggested the talks continued to show China's leverage. "China is hurting, yes—but they still hold the upper hand on critical resources, and they know how to use them."
Any lessening of tensions — and freer flow — of these mineral resources in China would be a significant boost to the global economy with China holding outsized leverage in both the reserves and processing capacity of these key building blocks for everything from computers to electric vehicle batteries to medical devices.
Likewise, the US offering concessions on export controls would be a significant move after years where successive US administrations have wielded these controls — especially around the design and manufacture of semiconductors — by saying they need to be tight on China for national security reasons.
Read more here.
May's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report will be released on Wednesday and its expected to show that prices rose a bit faster than in April. Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal breaks down what to look out for and how President Trump's tariffs are impacting what consumers are now paying for goods and services.
Read more here.
Now that the US-China trade truce is back on track, both sides are keen to ensure it stays that way. China's Vice Premier He Lifeng said both sides need to now 'show the spirit of good faith in abiding by their commitments and jointly safeguard the hard-won results of the dialogue.'
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Despite the US-China trade truce resuming the pain from President Trump's tariffs remains in China, especially among small exporters.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Japan warned Wednesday that tariffs threaten its economic growth, the government said in a monthly report.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
A federal appeals could said on Tuesday that President Trump's sweeping tariffs can continue for now. This is a significant win for Trump, who introduced tariffs back in March and declared "Liberation Day," as he saw them as a way to free the US from what he called unfair trade practices.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Early summer sales for Inditex, the owner of fashion retailer Zara, came in weaker, as the company missed expectations for first quarter sales on Wednesday. President Trump's tariffs have impacted consumer demand in the US and other major markets.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
After weeks of back and forth, the US and China have agreed on a framework to implement the Geneva consensus that helped ease tariffs.
The breakthrough came after two days of talks in London, including a marathon session on Tuesday. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said both sides had to "get the negativity out" before making progress.
'Now we can go forward to try to do positive trade, growing trade,' he said.
As part of the deal, Beijing has promised to speed up shipments of rare earth metals, a crucial component for global auto and defense industries. Washington will ease export controls.
This marks the first sign of movement on key issues. The proposal will now be presented to President Trump and China's Xi.
Still, the discussions also did little to resolve a long-standing issue: China's trade surplus with the US.
'Markets will likely welcome the shift from confrontation to coordination,' said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets. 'We're not out of the woods yet — it's up to Trump and Xi to approve and enforce the deal.'
The meeting was set up after a phone call between the two leaders, following weeks of each side accusing the other of breaking the Geneva commitments. Both countries had used chips, rare earths, student visas and ethane as bargaining tools.
Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor at East China Normal University, said trust, not money, has been the biggest casualty of the trade war.
'We've heard a lot about frameworks,' he said. 'But the fundamental issue remains: Chips versus rare earths. Everything else is a peacock dance.'
Bloomberg reports:
Read more here.
Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports:
Read more here.
US-China talks stretched on Tuesday, and they may continue into Wednesday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters outside of Lancaster House in London, where delegations from both countries are meeting.
"I think the talks are going really, really well," Lutnick said. "We're very much spending time and effort and energy — everybody's got their head down working closely."
"I hope they end this evening," he added, "but if they need be, we'll be here tomorrow."
The teams from China and the US, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, have been holding negotiations since Monday. The London summit followed a phone call between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Stocks rose to near session highs following Lutnick's comments on an otherwise fairly muted day in markets.
Read more here.
From Reuters:
Read more here.
China will ease curbs on exports of rare earth minerals for six months as part of a new trade understanding with the US, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The move could add more uncertainty for American manufacturers, particularly the auto industry, which has been pushing for easier access. The Journal notes that the move gives China leverage down the line if tensions ratchet back up.
From the report:
In celebrating the agreement early Wednesday, President Trump noted "any necessary rare earths will be supplied, up front, by China." He did not mention any time limit on loosening those restrictions.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in testimony before Congress on Wednesday, painted Wednesday's agreement as an incremental step on the longer road to a more comprehensive trade deal.
"A trade deal today or last night was for a specific goal, and it will be a much longer process," he told a House committee.
When asked if current US tariff levels on Chinese imports would not change again, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CNBC, "You can definitely say that."
"We're in a great place with China," Lutnick said Wednesday. While the US-China truce framework is awaiting final word from US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lutnick added, "Both sides are really positive."
The agreement is largely viewed as reestablishing the "handshake" that US and Chinese officials reached in Geneva last month, as details on a larger trade pact remain scant.
Trump posted on social media this morning that the US has imposed 55% tariffs on China, a number that does not include any new tariffs but instead comprises some preexisting tariffs, Trump's fentanyl tariffs, and 10% "Liberation Day" tariffs.
Lutnick touted that, as a result of the two-day talks, the US will gain access to rare earths and magnets, while the Chinese delegation sought to remove the US's export controls.
He added that the trade deficit remains an ongoing issue, stating, "We're going to examine how China can do more business with us."
May's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed inflation pressures eased on a monthly basis despite investor concerns that President Trump's tariffs would accelerate the pace of price increases.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.1% on a monthly basis in May and 2.4% on an annual basis, a slight uptick from April's 2.3% gain.
Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal reports:
Read more here.
I would keep an eye on consumer names off the news of a trade deal with China floated by President Trump this morning (see our prior post below).
Seeing upticks premarket in heavily China-exposed retailers such as Nike (NKE), Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), and Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF). The premarket gains here aren't mind-blowing in part because tariffs appear to still be in place.
Trump posted on Truth Social:
OUR DEAL WITH CHINA IS DONE, SUBJECT TO FINAL APPROVAL WITH PRESIDENT XI AND ME. FULL MAGNETS, AND ANY NECESSARY RARE EARTHS, WILL BE SUPPLIED, UP FRONT, BY CHINA. LIKEWISE, WE WILL PROVIDE TO CHINA WHAT WAS AGREED TO, INCLUDING CHINESE STUDENTS USING OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOOD WITH ME!). WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%. RELATIONSHIP IS EXCELLENT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!"
A variety of market observers quickly weighed in hours after Tuesday evening's unveiling to suggest that the deal may not have a lot of meat on the bones — but at least relations are no longer moving in the wrong direction.
The talks perhaps underscored how unlikely a comprehensive trade deal is anytime soon, noted AGF Investments Greg Valliere, "but at least relations may not worsen as talks continue throughout the summer."
Both sides promised additional talks in the weeks or months ahead, but none have yet been scheduled.
Veronique de Rugy, a professor at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, suggested the talks continued to show China's leverage. "China is hurting, yes—but they still hold the upper hand on critical resources, and they know how to use them."
Any lessening of tensions — and freer flow — of these mineral resources in China would be a significant boost to the global economy with China holding outsized leverage in both the reserves and processing capacity of these key building blocks for everything from computers to electric vehicle batteries to medical devices.
Likewise, the US offering concessions on export controls would be a significant move after years where successive US administrations have wielded these controls — especially around the design and manufacture of semiconductors — by saying they need to be tight on China for national security reasons.
Read more here.
May's Consumer Price Index (CPI) report will be released on Wednesday and its expected to show that prices rose a bit faster than in April. Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal breaks down what to look out for and how President Trump's tariffs are impacting what consumers are now paying for goods and services.
Read more here.
Now that the US-China trade truce is back on track, both sides are keen to ensure it stays that way. China's Vice Premier He Lifeng said both sides need to now 'show the spirit of good faith in abiding by their commitments and jointly safeguard the hard-won results of the dialogue.'
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Despite the US-China trade truce resuming the pain from President Trump's tariffs remains in China, especially among small exporters.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Japan warned Wednesday that tariffs threaten its economic growth, the government said in a monthly report.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
A federal appeals could said on Tuesday that President Trump's sweeping tariffs can continue for now. This is a significant win for Trump, who introduced tariffs back in March and declared "Liberation Day," as he saw them as a way to free the US from what he called unfair trade practices.
Bloomberg News reports:
Read more here.
Early summer sales for Inditex, the owner of fashion retailer Zara, came in weaker, as the company missed expectations for first quarter sales on Wednesday. President Trump's tariffs have impacted consumer demand in the US and other major markets.
Reuters reports:
Read more here.
After weeks of back and forth, the US and China have agreed on a framework to implement the Geneva consensus that helped ease tariffs.
The breakthrough came after two days of talks in London, including a marathon session on Tuesday. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said both sides had to "get the negativity out" before making progress.
'Now we can go forward to try to do positive trade, growing trade,' he said.
As part of the deal, Beijing has promised to speed up shipments of rare earth metals, a crucial component for global auto and defense industries. Washington will ease export controls.
This marks the first sign of movement on key issues. The proposal will now be presented to President Trump and China's Xi.
Still, the discussions also did little to resolve a long-standing issue: China's trade surplus with the US.
'Markets will likely welcome the shift from confrontation to coordination,' said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets. 'We're not out of the woods yet — it's up to Trump and Xi to approve and enforce the deal.'
The meeting was set up after a phone call between the two leaders, following weeks of each side accusing the other of breaking the Geneva commitments. Both countries had used chips, rare earths, student visas and ethane as bargaining tools.
Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor at East China Normal University, said trust, not money, has been the biggest casualty of the trade war.
'We've heard a lot about frameworks,' he said. 'But the fundamental issue remains: Chips versus rare earths. Everything else is a peacock dance.'
Bloomberg reports:
Read more here.
Yahoo Finance's Rick Newman reports:
Read more here.
US-China talks stretched on Tuesday, and they may continue into Wednesday, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters outside of Lancaster House in London, where delegations from both countries are meeting.
"I think the talks are going really, really well," Lutnick said. "We're very much spending time and effort and energy — everybody's got their head down working closely."
"I hope they end this evening," he added, "but if they need be, we'll be here tomorrow."
The teams from China and the US, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, have been holding negotiations since Monday. The London summit followed a phone call between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Stocks rose to near session highs following Lutnick's comments on an otherwise fairly muted day in markets.
Read more here.
From Reuters:
Read more here.