MONEY MASTER

Momentum Accelerates Toyota Motor Corp. posted its  third consecutive monthly sales record  in May, clocking in  955,532 vehicles sold globally , an 8% jump from a year ago. Production also held strong at  906,984 units . The surge was driven by  robust hybrid vehicle demand  across key markets: North America: +11% Japan: +4% China: +7% A Price Hike Ahead Toyota plans to raise  US vehicle prices by over $200  starting next month, aligning with competitors like Mitsubishi Motors — a move that reflects both rising costs and the looming tariff impact from the U.S.-China trade war. The Tariff Shock While sales remain strong, Japanese automakers are bracing for a significant blow: Toyota expects a  ¥180 billion ($1.2B) loss from tariffs  just for April-May. Nissan and Honda are forecasting  $3B hits . Mazda and Subaru have  withheld profit guidance  amid uncertainty. Investor Insight: Can Toyota Maintain Its Lead? Despite geopo...

President Trump’s new 25% import tariffs on foreign cars  are poised to deal a major financial hit to Germany’s top carmakers — with  Porsche AG and Mercedes-Benz Group AG  taking the brunt of the impact. What’s Happening: New tariffs take effect April 3 , potentially slashing around  25% of Porsche and Mercedes’ 2026 projected operating earnings , according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The  estimated hit: €3.4 billion (US$3.7 billion or RM16.2 billion) . Automakers may have to  raise prices or shift more production to the US  to absorb the blow. Market Reaction: Porsche shares fell 5% ,  Mercedes down 5.2% ,  BMW -4.9% ,  Volkswagen -4.3% , and  Aston Martin tumbled 8.9%  in London. The tariffs  threaten Europe’s export-heavy auto industry , particularly  German brands , which ship a large portion of their high-margin vehicles like the  Porsche 911  and  Mercedes S-Class  to the US. Industry Concern...