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World Trade Organization said new tariffs announced by the U.S. along with those introduced at the start of the year could lead to a contraction of around 1% in global merchandise trade volumes in 2025. «I'm deeply concerned about this decline and the potential for escalation into a tariff war with a cycle of retaliatory measures that lead to further declines in trade,» Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in a statement on Thursday. She warned that the tariffs have the potential to create significant trade diversion effects. The WTO administers 74% of global trade, down from around 80% at the beginning of the year due to recent tariffs, according to the organisation. World leaders have warned of the potential negative economic consequences of the tariffs. «President Trump's announcement of universal tariffs on the whole world, including the EU, is a major blow to the world economy,» European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said.

The pan-European STOXX 600 sank 2.7%, falling back to its lowest since January. German, Italian and French benchmarks closed over 3% lower, with Italian and French stocks seeing their worst fall in over two years.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The eurozone economy has never been far from recession over the three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent energy prices surging. It may finally be tipped over the edge by a fresh blow from another direction, as the Trump administration targets its exports.

commodity markets, causing widespread sell-off. Brent crude futures were trading at $69.98 per bblm falling by $4.97 or 6.63% in the day's trade while WTI contracts sinked over 7% on Comex to hit levels of $66.55, a correction of $5.16 per bbl.

global trade war. The 10-year Treasury yield fell by 11 points to 4.085 per cent. This is the lowest level in six months while the two-year yield dropped by 9.5 basis points to 3.809 per cent. The broader bond market, as per reports, echoed this trend, with the 30-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.44 per cent. The 1-year Treasury yield declined to 3.957 per cent. The fall in yields is an indicator of the shift in investor sentiment towards safer assets amid looming economic uncertainty.

Donald Trump on Thursday said that the US economy would emerge «far stronger» even as markets went down globally after the reciprocal tariffs. Taking to social media platform Truth, Trump said, «The operation is over! The patient lived and is healing. The prognosis is that the patient will be far stronger, bigger, better and more resilient than ever before.» White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also reassured US markets. «To anyone on Wall Street this morning, I would say, 'Trust in President Trump.' This is a president who is doubling down on his proven economic formula,» she said while speaking with CNN. She said the tariffs, which include 10 percent across the board levies on imports and steeper barriers on several countries including India, meant «the United States is no longer going to be cheated by foreign nations.»

BMW and Mercedes-Benz in India on Thursday called for more free trade based on low tariffs and reduced trade barriers, saying it will be a win-win situation for all. As part of reciprocal tariffs on about 60 countries to counter higher duties on American products imposed globally, the US on Wednesday announced 27 per cent reciprocal tariffs on India saying New Delhi imposes high import duties on American goods. However, autos and auto parts as well as steel and aluminium articles, already subject to Section 232 tariffs at 25 per cent, announced earlier in US President Donald Trump's order on March 26, 2025, are not covered in the latest order. «We always subscribe and we always propose that there should be more free trade agreements with the countries. Absolutely, that's the right way to go, because that way everybody wins, new technologies can come into the country. For example, India can access markets. So that's a win-win situation,» BMW Group India President & CEO Vikram Pawah told PTI.

April 2, 2025, was declared Liberation Day by President Donald Trump—a momentous occasion where he unveiled sweeping tariffs aimed at foreign nations. In his dramatic announcement from the White House, Trump proclaimed, “April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America's destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to 'Make America Wealthy Again.’”

European Council President Antonio Costa has called for a swift conclusion to trade agreements with key global partners, including India, in response to the recent tariff measures imposed by the United States. In a tweet posted on X on Thursday, Costa emphasised the urgency for Europe to deepen its trade ties beyond the U.S. to maintain global economic stability. «The trade tariffs imposed by the United States should urge Europe to reach free trade deals with other partners in the world,» Costa wrote. He expressed full support for the EU Commission in its trade negotiations with the U.S. and underscored the importance of trade in driving global prosperity. Costa's statement pointed to several crucial ongoing trade talks, noting, “Trade is a powerful engine of global prosperity. The EU will remain a staunch advocate for free and fair trade. We will engage with all our partners and continue to strengthen and expand our trade network. Now is the time to move forward with the agreements with #Mercosur, #Mexico and decisively advance in the negotiations with #India and other key partners."

Here is what some governments said about what they would — and would not — do in response. EUROPEAN UNION European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is finalising a package of measures in response to U.S. tariffs on steel and is «now preparing for further countermeasures to protect our interests and our businesses if negotiations fail». Trump targeted the EU with a 20% reciprocal tariff. CHINA

In his Rose Garden speech at the White House on Wednesday (2 April), Trump pledged 20% levies on European Union imports and 10% on imports coming from the UK. «European Union, they are very tough…traders. And you think of European Union [as being] very friendly, they rip us off, it is so sad to see. It is so pathetic,» Trump told reporters. Trump trade war could lead to $1.4trn global welfare loss as 'Liberation Day' looms In addition, the US president slapped another 34% tariff on China, bringing the total to 54% after another 20% previously imposed, while Japan was dealt wit...

Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies dipped after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on US trading partners worldwide, triggering a slump in risk assets. The largest digital asset fell as much as 4% to about $82,000 on Thursday morning in Singapore before paring losses, while other tokens including Ether and XRP also declined. Solana had at one point shed more than 9% of its value.

Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs have landed, triggering measured responses from key trading partners who seem unwilling to ignite a full-blown trade war—at least for now. Branded as “reciprocal tariffs” and ranging from 10% to 49%, the new import taxes, according to Trump, are simply the U.S. giving back what it has endured for decades. “Taxpayers have been ripped off for more than 50 years,” he declared, vowing that “it is not going to happen anymore.” Promising a resurgence of jobs and factories, Trump framed the move as more than just economics—he called it a national security necessity that threatens “our very way of life.” Here are the first reactions: China Beijing said it «firmly opposes» the new tariffs on its exports, and vowed «countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests».

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Trump’s biggest tariff blitz yet sends a clear message to U.S. and foreign companies alike: The era of globalization is over.

The Trump administration imposed a 26% tariff on imports from India, which is slightly higher than the 20% levy for the European Union, the 24% for Japan and the 25% for South Korea. China was hit with one the highest rates for a major US trading partner and now faces a tariff of at least 54% on many goods. The tariffs are a setback for the Indian government, which had sought to ward off the new levies by rolling out sweeping concessions on issues central to Trump’s agenda. During a visit to Washington by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February, the two nations agreed to work toward a trade pact this year. ALSO READ: India to face 'discounted' 26% tariff from US; Trump slaps 34% on China “India, very, very tough. Very, very tough,” Trump said at a news event at the White House on Wednesday to announce the tariffs. “The prime minister just left, and he’s a great friend of mine. But I said, you’re a friend of mine, but you’re not treating us right. They charge us 52%.”

Here's a look at some of the new tariff regime's key features, as detailed in Trump's executive order.

S&P 500 futures sank over 3.5% while contracts on the Nasdaq 100 slid 4.5%. Shares in Australia, Japan and South Korea tumbled at the open Thursday. US 10-year Treasury yields slumped with the flight to havens also lifting the Japanese yen and gold, which touched a new record high.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Trump unveiled his new “liberation day" tariffs on Wednesday, and they are another large step toward a new old era of trade protectionism. Assuming the policy sticks—and we hope it doesn’t—the effort amounts to an attempt to remake the U.S.

China, which has long been a target of US trade actions, will face a hefty 34% tariff, while the European Union will see a 20% levy. Vietnam, another key player in the global trade landscape, will bear the heaviest burden with a 46% tariff on its imports to the U.S. The tariffs, which Trump announced on what he referred to as “Liberation Day,” are designed to boost US manufacturing and punish countries for trade imbalances.

global trade tensions and sparking uncertainty in markets worldwide. These tariffs, designed to counter what Trump calls unfair trade practices, are expected to reshape global commerce in a significant way.