WUF13 opens in Baku with focus on housing, resilience and global urban reform
The 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) opened in Baku with ministers, UN officials and urban policy leaders. Participants call for ...
The U.S. dollar surged on Monday after President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, triggering immediate retaliation from trading partners. Global markets reacted sharply, with the euro plunging, the yuan hitting record lows, and Bitcoin falling below $100,000.
Global financial markets reacted strongly on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, escalating fears of a full-scale trade war.
The U.S. dollar strengthened, sending the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso to multi-year lows, while China’s offshore yuan fell to a record low. The euro also plunged to its weakest level since 2022, and Bitcoin dropped below $100,000 as investors adjusted to the impact of new trade barriers.
Canada and Mexico, the top two U.S. trading partners, immediately vowed retaliatory measures, while China announced plans to challenge the tariffs at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The U.S. dollar advanced against major currencies:
Mexican peso fell to its lowest since 2022, trading at 21.40 per dollar.
Canadian dollar dropped to C$1.4755 per U.S. dollar, its weakest level since 2003.
Euro fell 2.3% to $1.0125, before recovering slightly.
Bitcoin dropped 4.4% to $97,622, slipping below $100,000 for the first time in weeks.
“The surprise for markets is that Canada and Mexico retaliated immediately, and that China and the EU may follow," said Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG.
As Trump had promised, the U.S. imposed:
25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico
10% tariffs on Chinese goods
Trump justified the measures as necessary to combat illegal immigration and the drug trade. However, analysts warn that immediate retaliation from Canada and Mexico, combined with China’s WTO challenge, could further destabilize global trade.
"Trump's early strike, just two weeks into his four-year term, is likely to hit investor confidence," said Mansoor Mohi-uddin, chief economist at the Bank of Singapore.
With markets already bracing for potential tariffs on Europe, analysts warn that sustained trade disputes could lead to stagflation—weak growth combined with rising inflation.
What’s Next?
As global markets adjust to the new tariffs, investors are also scaling back expectations of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, with traders now pricing in just 41 basis points of easing for 2025.
With retaliatory measures already in place and uncertainty surrounding future U.S. trade policy, financial markets are likely to see continued volatility in the days ahead.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that the U.S. military blockade of Iran’s southern ports could trigger a new global financial crisis as the Tehran-Washington standoff around the strategic Strait of Hormuz persists.
Negotiations between Samsung Electronics and its workforce on Wednesday have broken down, officials said, raising fresh concerns over potential disruption to South Korea’s export-heavy economy.
By the time American shoppers began noticing higher prices on everything from trainers to televisions, the world's two largest economies were already deep in a trade war that left the world wondering how it would end.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a vital maritime chokepoint and serves as the primary artery linking the Persian Gulf to international energy markets. With approximately 20% of global oil and gas shipments transiting this waterway, it is the backbone of energy security for Asia, Europe, and beyond.
China’s exports grew faster than expected in April, as overseas buyers moved quickly to secure supplies amid fears that the conflict involving Iran could drive up global energy and transport costs.
Asian stocks surged to record highs on 7 May as investors priced in growing hopes of a potential Middle East peace deal, while oil prices eased and the U.S. dollar weakened amid shifting global risk sentiment.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment