Japan Holds the Line: Seeking Fair Trade Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure

Trump’s New Tax Plan: Cash for Voters, Uncertainty for the Future

A Strategy Built on Temporary Relief

Criticism from Economists and Democrats

Cost, Deficit, and Political Risk

Uncertain Legislative Future

Source: The Economic Times

U.S. Vice President JD Vance discussed fair trade policies with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday in Rome, Vance's office said in a statement as the two nations try to resolve a dispute over tariffs.

The two leaders also discussed efforts underway to secure borders, crack down on fentanyl and increase investments in defense and security, Carney's office said in a separate statement.

The leaders spoke about the immediate trade pressures and the need to build a new economic and security relationship, agreeing to stay in contact, the statement said.

Carney and Vance were among leaders from around the world attending Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass earlier in the day.

Source: Reuters

Investors faced yet another bumpy start to the trading week with US assets coming under fresh pressure, although it’s mounting concern over American debt rather than tariffs generating the volatility this time.

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US equity and bond futures retreated with the dollar in early Asia trading after Moody’s Ratings announced Friday evening it was stripping the American government of its top credit rating, dropping the country to Aa1 from Aaa. The company, which trailed rivals, blamed successive presidents and congressional lawmakers for a ballooning budget deficit it said showed little sign of narrowing.

The downgrade risks reinforcing Wall Street’s growing worries over the US sovereign bond market as Capitol Hill debates even more unfunded tax cuts and the economy looks set to slow as President Donald Trump upends long-established commercial partnerships and re-negotiate trade deals.

On Friday, 10-year Treasury yields rose as high as 4.49% in thin volumes.

“A Treasury downgrade is unsurprising amid unrelenting unfunded fiscal largesse that’s only set to accelerate,” said Max Gokhman, deputy chief investment officer at Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions. “Debt servicing costs will continue creeping higher as large investors, both sovereign and institutional, start gradually swapping Treasuries for other safe haven assets. This, unfortunately, can create a dangerous bear steepener spiral for US yields, further downward pressure on the greenback, and reduce the attractiveness of US equities.”

Michael Schumacher and Angelo Manolatos, strategists at Wells Fargo & Co., told clients in a report that they expect “10 year and 30 year Treasury yields to rise another 5-10 basis points in response to the Moody’s downgrade.”

A 10-basis point increase in the 30-year yield would be enough to lift it above 5% to the highest since November 2023 and closer to that year’s peak, when rates reached levels unseen since mid-2007.

While rising yields typically boost a currency, the debt worries may add to skepticism over the dollar. A Bloomberg index of the greenback is already close to its April lows and sentiment among options traders is the most negative in five years.

In April, US markets across the board came under pressure after Trump’s tariff pledges forced a reappraisal of their place at the core of many investor portfolios. The selloff reversed in parts after the US president paused tariffs on China, but investor focus in the bond market quickly shifted to America’s fiscal trajectory.

Source: Yahoo Finance

US Vice President JD Vance and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held a high-level meeting in Rome on Sunday to resolve growing tariff tensions.

The meeting occurs as both economies feel the strain of rising trade barriers and shifting global alliances.

Vance’s office said the two leaders spoke candidly about restoring fair trade between our countries. Canada has groused about new US levies on agricultural goods and metals, and the United States has lashed out at Canada over tech and dairy.

Carney’s office did not comment on whether the leaders spoke and said they discussed efforts to work toward a ‘balanced’ economic relationship and a trading system based on rules. The two sides said they would continue to consult and look for ways to reduce trade friction.

The trade dispute rattling manufacturers and exporters on both sides of the border is merely one element of a broader cross-border pattern of global economic anxiety. Sunday’s meeting was a step toward de-escalation, but no specific policies were released.

Vance and Carney address security and border issues

The Rome meetings were about more than just trade. In a united front response to key regional and world issues, Vance and Carney also addressed border security, the opioid crisis, and military spending.

Among the topics of discussion was the increase in fentanyl trafficking. The two pledged more cooperation in the interception of drug shipments and dismantling smuggling networks. The United States has experienced a surge in fentanyl-related deaths, and there have been urgent appeals for international action.

Defense and security cooperation was also a focus. Carney and Vance reaffirmed their country’s commitment to NATO and discussed boosting defense spending as global tensions have mounted- from Eastern Europe to the Indo-Pacific. Both countries are exploring opportunities to modernize their militaries to help Ukraine and deter aggression from authoritarian states.

Migration and border control were also addressed. Both leaders recognized the need to secure their common border without impacting trade and people’s movement. There are said to be discussions on joint patrols and data sharing.

Leaders use Vatican gatherings to advance talks

The encounter between Vance and Carney occurred on the periphery of a historical religious and diplomatic event: the first mass of Pope Leo XIV celebrated in St Peter’s Basilica. The ceremony attracted heads of state, diplomats, and religious leaders worldwide, offering an ideal environment for hushed side encounters and renewed conversation.

Vance also met in Rome and held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who is trying to mediate between the United States and the European Union. The discussions focused on global trade realignment, sustainable development, and financing climate.

A large dose of multilateral diplomacy has come around this weekend, allowing the leaders to align their positions ahead of the G7 summit in June. The Vance-Carney encounter is part of a North American leader’s push to show a united front on trade, security, and global cooperation.

While no immediate breakthroughs came out of Sunday’s meeting, it underscored the importance of diplomacy and dialogue. Negotiators for both sides said that follow-up talks would occur in the coming weeks and could lead to formal negotiations.

Source: CryptoSlate

U.S. President Donald Trump over the weekend said Walmart (NYSE:WMT) should absorb his import duties, and warned the retail giant against raising the prices of its products, which the company said it will do due to the levies.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent parroted Trump’s warning during an NBC interview on Sunday.

Trump said in a social media post that Walmart should “STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain… Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, “EAT THE TARIFFS,” and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”

Trump’s warning comes just days after Walmart warned during an earnings call that it will be increasing its prices due to the impact of steep U.S. import tariffs, especially against China.

“Given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren’t able to absorb all the pressure,” Walmart senior vice president Stephanie Schiller Wissink said during an earnings call last week.

Other retailers, including footwear maker Birkenstock (NYSE:BIRK), also announced price increases due to Trump’s tariffs, while Nintendo Co Ltd (TYO:7974) warned that its upcoming videogame console, the Switch 2, could cost substantially more in the U.S. due to import duties.

The U.S. and China had last week announced a major deescalation in their bitter trade war, which will see the U.S. slash its tariffs on China to 30% from 145%, while Beijing lowered its U.S. tariffs to 10% from 125%, at least for the next 90 days.

But the tariffs on China, which is a major source of imports, still remain relatively high. Additionally, Trump’s sectoral tariffs, including duties on automobiles and commodity imports, are also expected to ramp up import costs for businesses, who in turn could pass them on to customers.

While Walmart sources a bulk of its items from the U.S., the retailer still depends on China for the import of several baby products, as well as items such as plastics.

Source: Investing

U.S. stock index futures fell on Sunday evening after Moody’s downgraded its investment grade rating on the U.S., ramping up concerns over slowing economic growth and heightened debt levels.

Comments from President Donald Trump’s administration that some U.S. companies, specifically Walmart, will have to absorb his trade tariffs, also kept investors fretting over the impact of the levies on corporate earnings.

Futures fell after Wall Street clocked a positive session on Friday, as a deescalation in the U.S.-China trade war sparked an extended rally in risk-driven stocks. But this rally was seen slowly petering out by Friday.

S&P 500 Futures fell 0.6% to 5,942.25 points, while Nasdaq 100 Futures fell 0.5% to 21,393.50 points by 19:52 ET (23:52 GMT). Dow Jones Futures fell 0.6% to 42,489.0 points.

Moody’s downgrades US rating, cites debt concerns

Moody’s downgraded the U.S. sovereign credit rating on Friday to Aa1 from Aaa, bringing the rating one notch lower from its highest rating.

The ratings agency cited concerns over the country’s growing $36 trillion debt pile, which could be exacerbated by Trump’s plans to cut taxes.

Moody’s cut was widely criticized by Trump’s administration, which touted several measures to bring down government spending and debt levels. But the measures, especially the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency- have so far made limited progress.

Trump’s trade tariffs, which he claims are aimed at increasing federal revenue and reducing the deficit- also sparked concerns over the U.S. economy, with turmoil in the bond market spurring Trump into postponing his plans for reciprocal trade tariffs.

Trump says Walmart should ‘eat the tariffs’

Trump over the weekend said that Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) should absorb price increases stemming from higher import tariffs, and warned the retail giant against any price increases.

His warning came after Walmart last week said it will not be able to absorb all of the tariff costs, and will need to increase prices on general merchandise coming in from China. Walmart said that even the lower tariffs agreed to by the U.S. and China last week stood to increase prices.

Walmart’s comments highlighted the growing headwinds faced by U.S. companies dependent on imports, as Trump sticks to his tariff agenda.

Walmart is the world’s biggest retailer and is largely seen as a bellwether for U.S. consumer strength.

Trump’s comments also pushed up concerns over the impact of his trade tariffs on other U.S. businesses, and to what extent they planned to pass on costs to consumers.

Still, a deescalation in the U.S.-China trade conflict helped Wall Street clock some gains last week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% to 5,958.38 points on Friday, while the NASDAQ Composite rose 0.5% to 19,211.0 points. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.8% to 42.654.74 points.

Source: Investing