International News

The U.S. and China are on the verge of a complete decoupling, with U.S. tariffs on China having skyrocketed to at least 145% after several rounds of increases. Furthermore, starting May 2, the tariff rate on small packages from China valued at under $800 will be raised from the originally planned 90% to 120%.

The Director of the White House National Economic Council stated that there have been no specific consultations between the U.S. and China regarding tariffs, and that Trump and China will have a dialogue at some point in the future.

The U.S. inflation rate unexpectedly cooled before the tariff impact, with the overall CPI in March experiencing its first month-on-month decline in nearly five years. Strategists say this is just the calm before the storm, as tariffs will lead to higher inflation in the future.

The President of the Kansas City Federal Reserve stated that if forced to choose between dual mandates, he would prioritize curbing inflation. The President of the Boston Federal Reserve indicated that tariffs pushing up inflation could delay interest rate cuts.

U.S. leveraged loan funds saw record outflows in a single week, as investors worry that tariffs will impact the U.S. economy and force the Fed to cut rates sooner.

The EU announced a 90-day postponement of its countermeasures against U.S. metal tariffs, during which time negotiations with the U.S. will continue.

Bridgewater founder Dalio stated that the tariff storm severely damages the U.S.'s reliable image, and he is particularly concerned about the fundamental supply and demand situation for U.S. bonds.

Renowned investor Kyle Bass noted that the U.S. is gaining the upper hand in the trade war with China, and although the U.S. economy may slightly decline, it will help lay a more solid foundation.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the budget plan, marking further progress for Trump's tax cuts and debt ceiling increase actions. The U.S. has lowered its forecast for global oil demand growth in 2025, reducing it by approximately 400,000 barrels per day from last month's forecast.

Goldman Sachs: The collapse of oil prices will have profound implications for Saudi finances, with this year's deficit expected to soar to $67 billion.

Germany's leading research institutions predict that Trump's tariff policies will lead to stagnation in the country's economic growth this year.

Due to soaring British bond yields triggered by Trump's tariff actions, the Bank of England has paused the sale of long-term government bonds.

After Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the pharmaceutical industry, Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis pledged to invest $23 billion in the U.S. over the next five years.

Prada will acquire Versace for $1.375 billion, with the transaction funds sourced from a €1.5 billion new bond issuance.