Global news wrap: Tariff tango, slowdown fears, monetary policies
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Every month, Mint’s Plain Facts section brings out an update on key global data to thread together the biggest developments in the world that are worth paying attention to. The accompanying analysis and charts explain how each story is creating ripples on the global stage, where it is headed in the coming weeks, and whether it can impact India.
With the 2 April deadline for imposing reciprocal tariffs nearing, US President Donald Trump may be softening his stance. He signalled that there may be “flexibility" in imposing blanket tariffs on trading partners. The US president has threatened to impose reciprocal tariffs on nations that have high tariffs on US goods as well as those using non-tariff barriers like value-added taxes (VAT).
A report by Fitch Ratings shows that the difference in tariff rates between emerging markets, including India, and the US is wide. While the market responded positively to a possible softer stance by Trump, analysts expect this could lead to further uncertainty. The signals of flexibility have come against the backdrop of what is being described as "Trumpcession", which is the possibility of a recession in the US (20% change by Goldman Sachs and 40% by JP Morgan) due to a weak job market, declining consumer confidence, and slowing investments.
With Trump’s tariff causing uncertainty and fears across the world, the global economy is expected to slow down this year and the next. Global growth is expected to decelerate from 3.2% in 2024 to 3.1% in 2025, and then further to 3.0% in 2026, according to the OECD’s March 2025 economic outlook. The slowdown is attributed to rising trade barriers, geopolitical tensions, and economic policy uncertainty.
Read on livemint.com