Wall Street futures slipped and the dollar strengthened on Monday after President Donald Trump reaffirmed plans for 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium, fueling concerns over trade tensions and inflation.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed that tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports would be announced on Monday, with additional trade measures following on Tuesday or Wednesday. The comments heightened concerns over a potential trade war, especially after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned that the European Union would respond "within an hour" if U.S. tariffs targeted European goods.
China is also set to enforce retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports, with no breakthrough in negotiations between Beijing and Washington. Analysts predict that currencies of targeted nations will weaken against the dollar, allowing them to offset the impact of new tariffs and remain competitive in trade.
Markets are also factoring in the inflationary risks of new tariffs, which could limit the Federal Reserve’s ability to cut interest rates. Investors had already lowered their expectations for Fed rate cuts this year, following strong U.S. employment data.
Dollar Gains as Yields Rise
The dollar index rose 0.3% to 108.38, with the euro slipping to $1.0295 and the Australian dollar falling 0.5% to $0.6245. The yen remained steady at 151.32, as speculation grows over a potential Bank of Japan rate hike in the coming months.
Stock market futures turned negative, with S&P 500 futures slipping 0.2%, Nasdaq futures down 0.3%, and Nikkei futures falling to 38,415 from Friday’s close of 38,787.
Tariff Impact on Corporate Earnings
Concerns over trade policy uncertainty weighed on investor sentiment. Analysts at Goldman Sachs warned that the effective U.S. tariff rate could rise by five percentage points, reducing earnings per share by 1% to 2% in 2025.
Gold Prices Hold Near Record Highs
Despite a stronger dollar and rising bond yields, gold prices remained firm at $2,860 per ounce, after hitting a record $2,886. Reports suggest increased demand for physical gold shipments to the U.S. amid speculation that Trump could impose tariffs on the metal.
As markets brace for new trade measures, investors remain focused on inflation risks, Fed policy moves, and the impact of escalating tariff disputes on global trade flows.
French senators on Monday approved a revised 2026 budget bill that the government warned could worsen the country’s fiscal deficit, setting the stag...
Flooding in Bolivia’s eastern Santa Cruz region has killed at least 20 people after an overflowing river swept through multiple communities, authori...
Shadow Trade is an investigative documentary by AnewZ that examines how global sanctions imposed after Russia’s 2022 war in Ukraine have been weaken...
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have signed a new agreement on the transportation of natural gas through Uzbek territory, strengthening bilateral energy coo...
Filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home in an apparent homicide, with police arresting their son, Nick Rei...
French senators on Monday approved a revised 2026 budget bill that the government warned could worsen the country’s fiscal deficit, setting the stage for tense negotiations between parliament’s two chambers later this week.
Flooding in Bolivia’s eastern Santa Cruz region has killed at least 20 people after an overflowing river swept through multiple communities, authorities said on Monday, with the toll expected to increase as rescue teams reach areas that were previously inaccessible.
Filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home in an apparent homicide, with police arresting their son, Nick Reiner, who is being held on a $4 million bond.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held two rounds of high-stakes talks in Berlin, Germany on 14-15 December. Ukraine’s chief negotiator, Rustem Umerov, posted on X that discussions with the U.S. envoy have been "constructive and productive".
Russia’s human rights commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, has said that Ukraine has not provided Moscow with a list of thousands of children it alleges were taken illegally to Russia, despite the issue being discussed during talks in Istanbul.
Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker carrying more than 6 million litres of smuggled fuel in the Sea of Oman, detaining all 18 crew members on board.
An explosive device found in a vehicle linked to one of the alleged attackers in Bondi shooting has been secured and removed according to Police. The incident left 12 people dead.
The latest round of clashes between Thailand and Cambodia has left 15 Thai soldiers dead and 270 others injured, Thailand’s Ministry of Defence spokesman Surasant Kongsiri said at a press conference on Saturday.
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has offered condolences to President Donald Trump following an ISIS attack near the ancient city of Palmyra that killed two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter, Syrian and U.S. officials said Sunday.
Iran has rolled out changes to how fuel is priced at the pump. The move is aimed at managing demand without triggering public anger.
U.S. stock markets closed lower at the end of the week, as investors continued to rotate out of technology shares, putting pressure on major indices.
The U.S. Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50% to 3.75% following its two-day policy meeting, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday, 10 December.
China has carried out a major test of a new “super wireless” rail convoy, a technology that could reshape the future of heavy-haul transport.
Paramount Skydance (PSKY.O) has launched a $108.4 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O). The escalation follows a high-stakes battle that had appeared to end last week when Netflix secured a $72 billion deal for the studio giant’s assets.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment