Markets tumbled Monday, with losses accelerating in the afternoon after President Donald Trump confirmed that 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will take effect. Earlier in the session, stocks were already under pressure following a weaker-than-expected February report on a key manufact
Stocks tumbled Monday as investors prepared for the midnight deadline on President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 650 points, or 1.48%, at 43,191. The index had plunged nearly 900 points in afternoon trading before recovering some losses. The broader S&P 500 fell 1.76%, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.64%, bringing its total decline since Trump took office to approximately 6.5%.
Trump Defends Tariffs
"Tomorrow, tariffs—25% on Canada and 25% on Mexico," Trump declared during a White House press conference. "What they have to do is build their car plants and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs."
Trump stated that both countries had "no room left" for negotiations, emphasizing that the tariffs were a necessary response to economic imbalances. "They're all set. They go into effect tomorrow," he confirmed.
Market Volatility and Investor Concerns
Following Trump’s remarks, Wall Street’s fear gauge, the VIX index, surged to its highest level this year.
“The uncertainty surrounding the tariffs has wiped out the gains from the ‘Trump bump’ following the presidential election,” said Gustavo Flores-Macias, a professor of government and public policy at Cornell University.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, speaking alongside Trump, suggested that global companies could avoid tariffs by investing in U.S. production. He pointed to Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC, which announced a $100 billion U.S. investment earlier Monday.
Economic and Business Impact
Analysts at Goldman Sachs warned that while tariffs might increase demand for American-made goods by making imports more expensive, they could also raise costs for U.S. businesses and trigger foreign retaliatory measures.
“Tariff increases will raise production costs for domestic producers and could lead to countermeasures against U.S. exports, both of which could hurt economic growth,” Goldman Sachs analysts wrote in a note.
The stock market selloff coincided with the latest Institute for Supply Management (ISM) survey, which showed that while manufacturing activity remained in expansion territory, it had slowed—with tariff concerns dominating business responses.
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Kazakhstan has reported a sharp fall in oil production, with both output and exports declining in the first quarter of the year, according to government officials. The drop is now affecting the structure of economic growth, even as the country records 3% GDP growth.
Uzbekistan is advancing plans to reduce the state’s role in the economy while introducing a VAT refund system for foreign visitors, as part of broader efforts to attract investment and boost tourism.
Three months following the U.S. raid that captured socialist President Nicolas Maduro on 3 January, the Venezuelan National Assembly approved a new law on Thursday loosening the state’s grip on mining investments to open the sector for private and foreign companies.
Donald Trump has warned that countries providing military weapons to Iran could face sweeping new tariffs, in a move that risks escalating economic tensions despite a recent ceasefire.
At a time of deepening global polarisation, rising conflict and shrinking space for dialogue, Pakistan is stepping into a historic role. Diplomatic engagements in Islamabad, bringing together regional powers amid the Iran crisis, signal both urgency and opportunity.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any Iranian ships approaching ports in the Strait of Hormuz would be "immediately eliminated" on Monday, as the U.S. started its blockade.
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Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that talks with Pakistan had been positive, while Türkiye stressed the importance of stronger ties between Kabul and Islamabad.
Centre-right Peter Magyar's Tisza Party has won a landslide in Hungary after a night of counting in the Hungarian election. Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat after 16 years in power. "We have done it. Tisza and Hungary have won this election", Magyar said to cheering supporters in Budapest.
China’s export growth slowed sharply in March, as the fallout from the Middle East conflict pushed up energy and shipping costs, weakening global demand and exposing risks in Beijing’s reliance on manufacturing to drive growth.
A French fashion label is placing China at the heart of its global ambitions, choosing Shanghai for its worldwide debut in a move that shows growing confidence in the country’s consumer market and cultural influence.
Walt Disney is planning to cut up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, with many of the reductions expected to affect its marketing division, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the plans.
Major automakers showcased new electric vehicles at the New York Auto Show this week, under the slogan “electrification is the future." However, weakening demand in the United States and intense competition with China are raising questions for markets across the globe, including the South Caucasus.
The U.S. national average retail price of petrol rose above $4 a gallon for the first time in over three years on Monday (30 March), according to GasBuddy data, as the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran continued to roil global energy markets.
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