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China said it is closely watching Washington’s next steps after the  Supreme Court of the United States  struck down President  Donald Trump ’s sweeping emergency tariffs. In its first official response, Beijing signalled caution — and readiness. What Happened The US Supreme Court invalidated broad tariffs imposed under emergency powers. However, Trump quickly moved to: Reimpose a  15% global tariff Launch new trade investigations Explore alternative legal channels to maintain duties These include: Section 301 investigations  (used previously against Chinese exports) Section 232 investigations  (national security grounds — autos, metals) The court ruling reshaped the legal pathway — but not necessarily the protectionist direction. China’s Response China’s Ministry of Commerce said it is: Conducting a comprehensive assessment of the ruling Monitoring potential alternative US measures Prepared to “firmly safeguard its interests” Beijing also reiterated calls ...

Gold prices surged to an all-time high above US$5,200 an ounce , driven by a sharp drop in the US dollar, rising geopolitical tensions, and growing bets on a more dovish Federal Reserve. Quick Summary Gold hits record above US$5,200  on safe-haven demand Trump dismisses dollar weakness , pressuring FX markets Bets on a dovish Fed  support bullion prices Silver outperforms , up over 50% this year What’s Driving the Gold Rally US dollar weakness  after President  Donald Trump  said he was unconcerned about the currency’s decline Flight from sovereign bonds and currencies , including US Treasuries and Japanese government bonds Geopolitical risks  and renewed concerns over  Fed independence Rising expectations of lower interest rates , which benefit non-yielding assets like gold Gold has now  gained about 20% year-to-date , breaking above  US$5,000 for the first time this week , while  silver has surged more than 50%  over the same peri...

President  Donald Trump ’s renewed push for Greenland, paired with fresh tariff threats against major European allies, has injected fresh uncertainty into global markets — yet investor reaction remains  measured rather than panicked . Market Reaction So Far Initial price action reflects rising uncertainty, not crisis-level stress: S&P 500 futures:  ~ -1% VIX:   +18.8% , signaling a jump in short-term volatility Gold:  modest gains as a hedge US dollar:  weaker versus euro and sterling Treasury yields:  edged higher, implying inflation concerns Historically, moves of this magnitude are  well within normal market noise , suggesting investors are assigning a  low probability to extreme outcomes . Why Markets Aren’t Panicking Investors appear to be discounting worst-case scenarios for several reasons: Trump risk is familiar Markets reacted far more sharply during earlier tariff announcements. Past episodes ended with manageable inflation, ste...

US President Donald Trump has approved Nvidia Corp’s request to export its  H200 artificial intelligence chips  to China, in exchange for a  25% cut of all sales  — a major win for the world’s most valuable chipmaker and a potential reopening of a multibillion-dollar market it lost under previous export restrictions. Trump announced the decision on his Truth Social account after weeks of internal deliberations. He said he had already informed Chinese President Xi Jinping, who responded positively, and stressed that shipments would only go to  “approved customers.”  Trump added that Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) would also be eligible to sell chips under the same arrangement. “We will protect national security, create American jobs and keep America’s lead in AI,” Trump wrote. He emphasised that Nvidia’s newest and most advanced chips —  Blackwell  and its upcoming  Rubin  line — remain prohibited from export under the deal. A Str...

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first conversation since last month’s tariff truce, covering a wide slate of geopolitical and economic issues — from trade and Taiwan to Russia’s war in Ukraine — while Trump confirmed plans to visit Beijing in April. Trump described the call as “very good,” saying both sides discussed agricultural purchases, including soybeans, and stepped-up cooperation to curb illegal fentanyl shipments. He added that he invited Xi for a state visit to the US next year. But Trump’s public readout avoided the topic that Beijing highlighted most: Taiwan. According to China’s Foreign Ministry, Xi stressed that the island’s “return” is central to the post-World War II order and urged the US to maintain the positive momentum gained after their October meeting in South Korea. Beijing Pushes Taiwan Issue; US Stays Silent Xi’s remarks came as tensions rise between China and Japan, a key US ally, following comments by Japan’s new Prime Min...

Investor Takeaways 1. Grocery inflation may ease , particularly for coffee, beef, and juice, though price relief will depend on how quickly shipments resume. 2. The move marks a subtle recalibration of Trump’s tariff agenda , acknowledging that sweeping trade penalties have fueled consumer price pressures. 3. Brazil–US relations enter a more constructive phase , reducing uncertainty for commodities traders and consumer goods importers. 4. For markets: Soft commodities  (coffee, beef, OJ futures) may see pricing pressure as US demand normalizes. Consumer staples  stocks with high exposure to these inputs may benefit from margin relief. Broader trade policy remains volatile , especially as Trump balances geopolitical goals with voter sensitivity to inflation. US President Donald Trump has expanded tariff exemptions on a wide range of Brazilian food imports, escalating efforts to ease household cost pressures ahead of 2026 as voter dissatisfaction over the cost of living intensif...

In a bid to tackle America’s deepening housing affordability crisis,  President Donald Trump  has floated a bold idea —  a 50-year mortgage . The pitch? Lower monthly payments for homebuyers already squeezed by high rates and record prices. But within days, the proposal is  losing momentum , as housing experts warn it could backfire —  costing homeowners far more in the long run  and doing little to solve the real problem:  a lack of affordable housing supply . Key Takeaways  1. Lower payments, higher total costs Yes, a 50-year mortgage means smaller monthly payments. But here’s the catch:  it massively increases total interest paid . According to the National Association of Realtors’ chief economist  Lawrence Yun , for a  US$420,000 loan , borrowers would save  US$236 a month , but pay  an extra US$360,000 in interest  over the loan’s lifetime — pushing the total cost above  US$1.1 million . That means homeowner...

US President  Donald Trump  said on Friday that trade talks with  Canada  will not resume, contradicting remarks made earlier by  US Energy Secretary Chris Wright , who suggested both nations could soon return to the negotiation table. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Canadian Prime Minister  Mark Carney  had apologized over a television commercial opposing US tariffs but confirmed that negotiations remain off the table. “No, but I have a very good relationship. I like him a lot, but you know, what they did was wrong,” Trump said. “He was very nice. He apologised for what they did with the commercial.” Earlier the same day, Wright told reporters at the  Group of Seven (G7)  energy and environment ministers’ meeting in  Toronto  that the US and Canada were working toward reviving talks after discussions collapsed last week. He noted that cooperation on  oil, gas, and critical minerals  remains a priori...

  Key Takeaways U.S. President Donald Trump  confirmed an  extension of the tariff truce with Mexico , calling it a positive outcome for U.S. trade interests. The move provides  temporary relief from higher duties  set to take effect on  Nov 1 , preserving current tariff rates at 25%. Markets see the decision as a  moderating gesture  ahead of Trump’s high-stakes  trade meeting with China’s Xi Jinping  in South Korea this week.  Tariff Truce Extended — Mexico Gets Breathing Room Speaking aboard  Air Force One  en route to South Korea, President Trump said he is satisfied with the  tariff extension deal announced by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum . 💬  “I like the extension with Mexico. We’re doing very well with that extension. We get a lot of tariffs — they’re paying a lot of money,”  Trump said. Under the agreement, the U.S. will  delay tariff hikes  on Mexican goods — including autos and ma...

  Key Takeaways US President Donald Trump  arrived in  South Korea , the final stop of his Asia tour, with optimism for a  trade breakthrough with China . Talks with  Chinese President Xi Jinping  are expected to produce a  tariff pause and fentanyl export curbs , lifting  global market sentiment . Despite optimism,  US–South Korea investment negotiations remain deadlocked , and  North Korea’s missile test  added geopolitical tension to the backdrop. Trump’s Asia Tour Reaches Its Climax President Trump touched down in  Busan, South Korea , on Wednesday morning, following stops in  Malaysia  and  Japan . He will meet  South Korean President Lee Jae Myung  in Gyeongju before holding crucial trade talks with  China’s Xi Jinping  on Thursday — a meeting investors are watching closely as a potential turning point in the ongoing  US–China trade war . Trump struck an upbeat tone en route: 💬...

India and the United States are close to finalizing a  trade agreement  that could  slash tariffs on Indian exports to 15%–16% , down from the current average of about  50% , according to a report by the  Mint  newspaper citing three sources familiar with the talks. As part of the potential deal,  New Delhi may agree to gradually curb imports of Russian oil  while allowing  greater US exports of non-genetically modified corn and soymeal  into India. The announcement could come during a possible  meeting between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi  at the upcoming  ASEAN Summit in Malaysia , the report said. The move is seen as a major step toward easing trade tensions between the two countries and aligning India more closely with the US amid shifting global supply chains.

Key Takeaway:  U.S. President Donald Trump signaled a softer stance toward Canada in tariff negotiations but gave no firm commitment on the future of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), keeping trade uncertainty elevated ahead of the 2026 review. Overview U.S. President  Donald Trump  on Tuesday said he intends to treat  Canada “fairly”  in talks over U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods but stopped short of endorsing the current  USMCA  trade pact. “I think they are going to walk away very happy,” Trump told reporters ahead of a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister  Mark Carney  at the White House. Carney, in Washington for the second time in five months, faces growing domestic pressure to resolve tariffs on steel, autos, and other key exports. Progress but No Breakthrough Canadian Trade Minister  Dominic LeBlanc  described the meeting as “positive and substantive” but said no deal was imminent. “I am happy because we have momentum n...

The White House has announced that  all medium- and heavy-duty trucks imported into the U.S. will face a 25% tariff starting Nov 1 , marking a major escalation in President  Donald Trump’s trade protection strategy  aimed at supporting domestic manufacturers. The move — justified on  national security grounds  — targets imports of delivery trucks, buses, and semi-trailers from key trading partners including  Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, and Finland , all of which are U.S. allies. Trump said the tariffs are designed to protect U.S. truckmakers such as  Paccar’s Peterbilt and Kenworth  as well as  Daimler Truck’s Freightliner , which he described as “vital to America’s industrial strength.” Key Details Effective date:  November 1, 2025 Tariff rate:  25% on all medium- and heavy-duty truck imports Top import sources:  Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany, Finland Affected firms:  Stellantis (Ram), Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Pac...

  Key Takeaway: The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a landmark case on whether President Donald Trump overstepped his authority in imposing sweeping global tariffs under emergency powers. The decision, due after oral arguments in November, could have  multi-trillion-dollar implications  for trade, corporate earnings, and global market stability. Case Overview The  Justice Department  appealed an August ruling by the Federal Circuit Court, which found Trump exceeded his authority by invoking the  International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)  to impose broad tariffs. The Supreme Court placed the case on a  fast track , with oral arguments scheduled for the first week of November, shortly after the Court’s new term begins. The tariffs remain in effect during the appeal. Legal and Political Stakes IEEPA History:  The 1977 law was originally designed to allow presidents to address national security threats by sanctioning foreign adversaries or...