Equities resume selloff as Trump cranks up trade war

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Donald Trump said countries were 'dying to marque   a deal' to avert achy  tariffsDonald Trump said countries were 'dying to marque a deal' to avert achy tariffs. Photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP
Source: AFP

Equities and lipid plunged again Wednesday aft Donald Trump ramped up his commercialized warfare by hitting China with tariffs of much than 100 percent arsenic sweeping measures against the United States' dozens of partners are acceptable to travel into effect.

After a little respite Tuesday from the panic-selling astatine the commencement of the week, investors were erstwhile again scurrying for the hills amid fears that the US president's hammer stroke to planetary commerce volition plunge the economy into a recession.

The 2 economical superpowers were headed for a vicious standoff aft Trump said China would beryllium deed with different 50 percent levy successful effect to its retaliation successful benignant to his archetypal 34 percent work announced past week.

With Beijing already taxable to a 20 percent toll, its exporters are present facing tariffs of up to 104 percent.

China has blasted what it called US blackmail and vowed to "fight it to the end", fanning worries the situation could spiral retired of control.

Meanwhile, the European Union could unveil its effect adjacent week, with French President Emmanuel Macron calling for Washington to reconsider but adding that if the bloc was forced to respond "so beryllium it".

In effect to alloy and aluminium levies that took effect past month, Brussels is readying measures of up to 25 percent connected US goods ranging from soybeans to motorcycles, according to a papers seen by AFP.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang told EU main Ursula von der Leyen that Beijing had the "tools" to grip headwinds, according to authorities quality bureau Xinhua.

On Wednesday, South Korea unveiled a $2 cardinal exigency enactment bundle for its important export-focused carmakers, informing that Trump's 25 percent tariffs connected the assemblage could woody it a unspeakable blow.

And successful New Zealand, the cardinal slope chopped involvement rates citing US tariffs, saying that "uncertainty astir planetary commercialized argumentation (has) weakened the outlook".

"Any illusion of calm successful Asia conscionable got nuked. Trump's latest tariff tantrum hits similar a macro wrecking ball, torching what was near of hazard appetite and plunging markets backmost into full-blown panic mode," said Stephen Innes astatine SPI Asset Management.

"The lone question connected each table this greeting is: Is helium truly consenting to airy a planetary recession lucifer conscionable to redraw the commercialized map?"

50% accidental of recession

The US president believes his argumentation volition revive America's mislaid manufacturing basal by forcing companies to relocate to the United States, saying Tuesday countries were "dying to marque a deal" with duties of astatine slightest 10 percent acceptable to footwear successful astatine 0401 GMT.

Earlier helium said the state was "taking successful astir $2 cardinal a day" from tariffs but the measures person sent shockwaves done markets and wiped trillions of dollars disconnected institution valuations.

Jack Ablin of Cresset Capital estimated that the marketplace present sees a greater than 50 percent accidental of a US recession.

The gains successful Asia and Europe connected Tuesday came connected optimism that the White House could beryllium unfastened to compromise.

But a deficiency of question and Trump's confirmation of the 50 percent duties connected China took the aerial retired of capitalist sentiment.

That saw Wall Street's 3 main indexes reverse steadfast gains astatine the unfastened to extremity heavy successful the reddish -- the S&P 500 finished beneath 5,000 points for the archetypal clip successful astir a year.

And Asia resumed its retreat Wednesday, though traders pared their archetypal hefty selling.

Tokyo fell much than two, portion Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore and Taipei mislaid much than 1 percent. Seoul and Wellington were besides nether pressure.

On currency markets, China's offshore yuan deed a grounds debased against the dollar, portion the South Korean won deed its lowest level since 2009 during the planetary fiscal crisis.

Oil prices besides tanked much than 4 percent, with some main contracts hitting their lowest levels since 2021 during Covid amid increasing fears that the deed to economies volition batter demand.

Key figures astir 0230 GMT

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 2.6 percent astatine 32,147.04 (break)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.6 percent astatine 19,739.70

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent astatine 3,134.38

Dollar/yen: DOWN astatine 145.78 yen from 146.23 yen connected Tuesday

Euro/dollar: UP astatine $1.1027 from $1.0959

Pound/dollar: UP astatine $1.2830 from $1.2766

Euro/pound: UP astatine 85.95 pence from 85.78 pence

West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 4.6 percent astatine $56.87 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 4.1 percent astatine $60.26 per barrel

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.8 percent astatine 37,645.59 (close)

London - FTSE 100: UP 2.7 percent astatine 7,910.53 (close)

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Source: AFP

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