Tom Howell Jr.

China’s trade gambit: Beijing plays hardball in Trump tariff talks to try to save its economy

Hobbled by an aging population, a weak housing sector and other problems at home, China enters high-stakes trade talks with the U.S. with a laser focus on knocking down President Trump's tariffs and semiconductor restrictions to protect its flagging economy.

June 4, 2025

U.S., EU say trade talks are heading in the right direction

The U.S. trade representative on Wednesday said trade talks with the European Union are "advancing quickly" as President Trump seeks deals on multiple fronts ahead of a self-imposed July deadline to negotiate tariff levels.

June 4, 2025

Trump says it is hard to make a deal with Chinese President Xi ahead of possible call

President Trump complained Wednesday that it's "extremely hard" to make a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the U.S. and China exchange complaints over trade and contemplate a call between the powerful leaders.

June 4, 2025

U.S. urges countries to make ‘best offers’ for trade deals before July tariff deadline

The White House confirmed Tuesday it sent a letter to foreign nations ordering them to make their best offers on trade ahead of a midsummer deadline to settle tariff disputes.

June 3, 2025

U.S. economic growth set to decline in 2025, 2026 due to trade uncertainty, international forum says

U.S. economic growth is projected to decline to just 1.6% in 2025 and 1.5% in 2026 due to trade uncertainty and other factors, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said Tuesday.

June 3, 2025

Trump and Xi expect to talk by phone this week amid tensions

President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to talk by phone later this week, the White House said Monday, as the world's largest economies accuse each other of undermining their trade truce struck in May.

June 2, 2025

Beijing swipes back at Washington over trade, student visa restrictions

China on Monday accused the U.S. of violating the agreement both countries reached in Geneva to de-escalate trade tensions, the latest sign of friction between the world's two largest economies.

June 2, 2025

Auto tariffs spur U.S. investments, force tough choices on prices for carmakers

President Trump's tariffs on foreign-made cars and auto parts are only weeks old, but they're sending shockwaves through the global marketplace, as automakers shift production to the U.S. or look to alternate markets to avoid America's levies.

May 26, 2025

Trump announces U.S. Steel-Nippon merger, keeps company based in Pa.

President Trump says U.S. Steel and the Japanese firm Nippon Steel will enter a "planned partnership" that will keep the iconic American company based in Pennsylvania.

May 23, 2025

Trump threatens 25% levy on Apple iPhones made outside the U.S.

President Trump is threatening to impose a 25% tariff on Apple iPhones made outside the U.S., saying he warned the major U.S. tech company to onshore production instead of shifting it around overseas.

May 23, 2025

Trading mixed on Wall Street as ‘big, beautiful bill’ competes with bond-market worries

The business community is celebrating President Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill" but there is an undercurrent of angst over higher bond yields because debt is growing, which helped spark a market sell-off this week.

May 22, 2025

Wall Street sees mixed trading as ‘big, beautiful bill’ competes with bond market worries

Business leaders are cheering efforts to advance President Trump's tax cuts, but Wall Street is tempering celebrations.

May 22, 2025

Target says it can adapt and offset tariff costs, is reducing reliance on China

Target Corp. said Wednesday it can "offset the vast majority" of impacts from President Trump's tariffs, as major retailers report earnings and outline plans for navigating an uncertain trade environment.

May 21, 2025

Home Depot CFO says tariffs won’t spur price increases

Home Depot said Tuesday it does not plan to raise prices because of President Trump's tariffs, though it may have to remove some products because of the levies.

May 20, 2025

Wall Street faced an uneven day Monday as investors reacted negatively to the U.S. government’s cred

Wall Street faced an uneven day Monday as investors reacted negatively to the U.S. government's credit downgrade and a spike in Treasury yields before recovering in late-day trading.

May 19, 2025

Steel industry urges Trump to keep tariff pedal to the metal after early uptick in output, jobs

The steel industry is pleading with President Trump to stand pat on his decision to impose tariffs on key metal imports, saying the no-exceptions move shows promise and must be kept in place while other parts of his trade agenda change by the day.

May 16, 2025

Trump says U.S. will assign tariff amounts in two to three weeks

President Trump says trade officials will dispatch letters to countries assigning them a tariff amount because it would be impossible to meet with "150 countries" that want to negotiate a deal.

May 16, 2025

Walmart says tariffs too high to absorb, will spur rising prices

A top Walmart executive said Thursday that tariffs are "still too high" and consumers might see higher costs by the end of May at the retailer known for everyday low prices.

May 15, 2025

Fentanyl is ‘U.S.’s problem,’ China says, underscoring ongoing tariff tension

The trade truce between the U.S. and China took effect on Wednesday, but tensions remain over fentanyl, with Beijing insisting the drug crisis remains "[America's] problem, not China's."

May 14, 2025

Inflation was steady in April, meaning no sign of tariff shock yet

Consumer prices rose in April but not as badly as expected, according to a federal inflation report Tuesday that shows President Trump's tariffs have not taken a major toll on prices so far.

May 13, 2025