Wall Street en ordre dispersé au premier jour des nouveaux droits de douane américains

La Bourse de New York évolue en ordre dispersé mercredi à mi journée, quelque peu soulagée par les déclarations du ministre américain des Finances sur les droits de douane, malgré l’entrée en vigueur de la nouvelle vague de surtaxes imposées par Washington aux produits de dizaines de partenaires commerciaux et la réplique chinoise.Vers 14H15 GMT, le Dow Jones reculait de 0,10%, l’indice Nasdaq avançait de 1,14% et l’indice élargi S&P 500 gagnait 0,35%.Quelques minutes après l’ouverture, les indices américains ont brièvement bondi après les propos de Donald Trump qui a assuré “tout va bien se passer” et que “c’est le moment d’acheter”, sur son réseau social Truth.”Les marchés (sont) désorientés dans le brouillard de la guerre commerciale”, écrit dans une note Patrick O’Hare, de Briefing.com.D’un côté, le ministre américain des Finances Scott Bessent a assuré mercredi que les droits de douane imposés par Washington et effectifs depuis mercredi sont un “plafond” dès lors que les autres pays ne répliqueront pas.De l’autre, M. Bessent a estimé qu’il serait “suicidaire” pour les autres pays de se rapprocher de la Chine d’un point de vue commercial pour tenter de contrebalancer les effets des surtaxes américaines.La Chine a annoncé mercredi une hausse massive de ses droits de douane sur les produits américains, en représailles aux surtaxes instaurées par Washington, alimentant une nouvelle panique sur les marchés mondiaux et la crainte d’une guerre commerciale sans fin.Cette nouvelle escalade entre les deux grandes puissances mondiales est survenue quelques heures après l’entrée en vigueur à 04H00 GMT d’une nouvelle salve de droits de douane américains pour 60 pays. En ajoutant celles qui étaient déjà entrées en vigueur depuis janvier, le total des surtaxes atteint désormais 104% pour les produits “Made in China”, ce qui revient à en doubler les prix. Ce cycle de représailles, qui fait craindre une envolée de l’inflation et une chute de la consommation et de la croissance mondiale, fait souffler un nouveau vent de panique sur la majorité des marchés boursiers.”La situation générale des droits de douane est négative pour les actions”, résume auprès de l’AFP Karl Haeling, de LBBW.”Le plus gros problème est la volonté de l’administration Trump de poursuivre cette lutte commerciale d’une manière très perturbatrice”, estime l’analyste.En parallèle, sur le marché obligataire, le rendement des emprunts d’Etat américains à dix ans s’est nettement tendu, grimpant jusqu’à 4,50%, contre 4,29% à la clôture mardi. Vers 14H00 GMT, il s’établissait à 4,35%.Les bons du Trésor “n’ont plus le statut de valeur refuge” alors que “les acheteurs étrangers perdent confiance dans les Etats-Unis”, estime Karl Haeling.Pour Lawrence Gillum, de LPL Financial, “l’inflation statique, la patience de la Fed, les boycotts potentiels des acheteurs étrangers, le désendettement des fonds spéculatifs” font partie des raisons expliquant la hausse des rendements des bons du Trésor américain.Au tableau des valeurs, les laboratoires pharmaceutiques, à l’instar de Eli Lilly (-3,28%) et Pfizer (-2,77%), reculaient après que Donald Trump a promis mardi d’imposer “très bientôt” des droits de douane sur les produits pharmaceutiques, au deuxième rang du commerce mondial.Le géant de la grande distribution Walmart était recherché (+4,60%) malgré l’annonce d’une révision à la baisse de ses prévisions de bénéfice pour le premier trimestre en raison des incertitudes économiques entourant les droits de douane.La compagnie aérienne américaine Delta Air Lines grimpait (+7,27%) après avoir publié mercredi des résultats pour le premier trimestre conformes aux attentes des analystes, revoyant toutefois ses prévisions à la baisse pour le deuxième trimestre face à “un environnement de croissance ralentie”.

Trump trade war escalates as China, EU counterattack

US President Donald Trump’s trade war boiled over on Wednesday as China and the European Union adopted retaliatory tariffs against US goods, fuelling fresh market volatility.Trump’s latest salvo of tariffs came into effect on dozens of trading partners earlier Wednesday.”BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform following the Chinese and EU counterattacks.In one of the most serious tests of China-US ties in recent decades, Trump ramped up the duties he had originally prepared for Chinese goods, finally raising them to 104 percent after Beijing said it would retaliate.Beijing initially planned to impose a 34 percent tariff on imports of US products from 1601 GMT on Wednesday, but the finance ministry said it would now raise the toll to 84 percent after Trump hiked his tariff.”The tariff escalation against China by the United States simply piles mistakes on top of mistakes (and) severely infringes on China’s legitimate rights and interests,” the ministry said.Washington’s moves “severely damage the multilateral rules-based trade system”, it added.China also said it would blacklist six American artificial intelligence firms, including Shield AI and Sierra Nevada Corp.The European Union announced measures targeting more than 20 billion euros’ worth of US products, including soybeans, motorcycles and beauty products, starting April 15.The levies are in retaliation for US duties on global steel and aluminium exports imposed last month.”These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome,” the European Commission said after EU member states approved the measures. “The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy,” it added.The EU is still working on a response to the 20 percent levy that took effect on Wednesday.- ‘Cutting your own throat’ -US officials have warned nations against retaliating.”I think what a lot of people are missing here is that the levels that were put out last Wednesday are a ceiling, if you don’t retaliate,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at a US banking summit Wednesday.Bessent warned countries that aligning with Beijing “would be cutting your own throat” as China is guilty of excess production and “dumping” inexpensive goods on other economies.Trump believes his policy will revive America’s lost manufacturing base by forcing companies to relocate to the United States.”This is a GREAT time to move your COMPANY into the United States of America, like Apple, and so many others, in record numbers, are doing,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding “DON’T WAIT, DO IT NOW!”But many business experts and economists question how quickly — if ever — this could take place and warn it could reignite inflation.- Markets mixed -The escalating trade war has wiped off trillions of dollars in market value since last week as investors fear that the trade war will spark a recession.After some respite on Tuesday, stock markets were rattled on Wednesday.Wall Street’s main indexes were up in early morning deals while European stock markets were down around three percent in afternoon trading.Tokyo’s Nikkei index closed almost four percent lower.The dollar fell against major currencies while oil prices fell below $60 a barrel, their lowest level in four years.Government bond yields — essentially the interest countries pay to borrow money — rose in the United States, Japan and Britain, among other countries.The Bank of England warned of risks to “UK financial stability” from increased geopolitical tensions, including the fallout from the US tariffs.Italy is preparing to cut its 2025 growth forecast in half, to 0.6 percent from 1.2, a government source said, while Spain is also set to downgrade its outlook.Trump has said his government was working on “tailored deals” with trading partners, with the White House saying it would prioritise allies such as Japan and South Korea, which were hit with tariffs of 24 percent and 25 percent, respectively.His top trade official, Jamieson Greer, told the Senate that Argentina, Vietnam and Israel were among those who had offered to reduce their tariffs. Trump told a dinner with fellow Republicans on Tuesday night that countries were “dying” to make a deal.”I’m telling you, these countries are calling us up kissing my ass,” he said.Trump also said the United States would announce a major tariff on pharmaceuticals “very shortly”, prompting a sell-off in shares of pharmaceutical companies.burs-oho-lth/js

Trump trade war escalates as China, EU counterattack

US President Donald Trump’s trade war boiled over on Wednesday as China and the European Union adopted retaliatory tariffs against US goods, fuelling fresh market volatility.Trump’s latest salvo of tariffs came into effect on dozens of trading partners earlier Wednesday.”BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform following the Chinese and EU counterattacks.In one of the most serious tests of China-US ties in recent decades, Trump ramped up the duties he had originally prepared for Chinese goods, finally raising them to 104 percent after Beijing said it would retaliate.Beijing initially planned to impose a 34 percent tariff on imports of US products from 1601 GMT on Wednesday, but the finance ministry said it would now raise the toll to 84 percent after Trump hiked his tariff.”The tariff escalation against China by the United States simply piles mistakes on top of mistakes (and) severely infringes on China’s legitimate rights and interests,” the ministry said.Washington’s moves “severely damage the multilateral rules-based trade system”, it added.China also said it would blacklist six American artificial intelligence firms, including Shield AI and Sierra Nevada Corp.The European Union announced measures targeting more than 20 billion euros’ worth of US products, including soybeans, motorcycles and beauty products, starting April 15.The levies are in retaliation for US duties on global steel and aluminium exports imposed last month.”These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome,” the European Commission said after EU member states approved the measures. “The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy,” it added.The EU is still working on a response to the 20 percent levy that took effect on Wednesday.- ‘Cutting your own throat’ -US officials have warned nations against retaliating.”I think what a lot of people are missing here is that the levels that were put out last Wednesday are a ceiling, if you don’t retaliate,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at a US banking summit Wednesday.Bessent warned countries that aligning with Beijing “would be cutting your own throat” as China is guilty of excess production and “dumping” inexpensive goods on other economies.Trump believes his policy will revive America’s lost manufacturing base by forcing companies to relocate to the United States.”This is a GREAT time to move your COMPANY into the United States of America, like Apple, and so many others, in record numbers, are doing,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding “DON’T WAIT, DO IT NOW!”But many business experts and economists question how quickly — if ever — this could take place and warn it could reignite inflation.- Markets mixed -The escalating trade war has wiped off trillions of dollars in market value since last week as investors fear that the trade war will spark a recession.After some respite on Tuesday, stock markets were rattled on Wednesday.Wall Street’s main indexes were up in early morning deals while European stock markets were down around three percent in afternoon trading.Tokyo’s Nikkei index closed almost four percent lower.The dollar fell against major currencies while oil prices fell below $60 a barrel, their lowest level in four years.Government bond yields — essentially the interest countries pay to borrow money — rose in the United States, Japan and Britain, among other countries.The Bank of England warned of risks to “UK financial stability” from increased geopolitical tensions, including the fallout from the US tariffs.Italy is preparing to cut its 2025 growth forecast in half, to 0.6 percent from 1.2, a government source said, while Spain is also set to downgrade its outlook.Trump has said his government was working on “tailored deals” with trading partners, with the White House saying it would prioritise allies such as Japan and South Korea, which were hit with tariffs of 24 percent and 25 percent, respectively.His top trade official, Jamieson Greer, told the Senate that Argentina, Vietnam and Israel were among those who had offered to reduce their tariffs. Trump told a dinner with fellow Republicans on Tuesday night that countries were “dying” to make a deal.”I’m telling you, these countries are calling us up kissing my ass,” he said.Trump also said the United States would announce a major tariff on pharmaceuticals “very shortly”, prompting a sell-off in shares of pharmaceutical companies.burs-oho-lth/js

Trump trade war escalates as China, EU counterattack

US President Donald Trump’s trade war boiled over on Wednesday as China and the European Union adopted retaliatory tariffs against US goods, fuelling fresh market volatility.Trump’s latest salvo of tariffs came into effect on dozens of trading partners earlier Wednesday.”BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well. The USA will be bigger and better than ever before!” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform following the Chinese and EU counterattacks.In one of the most serious tests of China-US ties in recent decades, Trump ramped up the duties he had originally prepared for Chinese goods, finally raising them to 104 percent after Beijing said it would retaliate.Beijing initially planned to impose a 34 percent tariff on imports of US products from 1601 GMT on Wednesday, but the finance ministry said it would now raise the toll to 84 percent after Trump hiked his tariff.”The tariff escalation against China by the United States simply piles mistakes on top of mistakes (and) severely infringes on China’s legitimate rights and interests,” the ministry said.Washington’s moves “severely damage the multilateral rules-based trade system”, it added.China also said it would blacklist six American artificial intelligence firms, including Shield AI and Sierra Nevada Corp.The European Union announced measures targeting more than 20 billion euros’ worth of US products, including soybeans, motorcycles and beauty products, starting April 15.The levies are in retaliation for US duties on global steel and aluminium exports imposed last month.”These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome,” the European Commission said after EU member states approved the measures. “The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy,” it added.The EU is still working on a response to the 20 percent levy that took effect on Wednesday.- ‘Cutting your own throat’ -US officials have warned nations against retaliating.”I think what a lot of people are missing here is that the levels that were put out last Wednesday are a ceiling, if you don’t retaliate,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said at a US banking summit Wednesday.Bessent warned countries that aligning with Beijing “would be cutting your own throat” as China is guilty of excess production and “dumping” inexpensive goods on other economies.Trump believes his policy will revive America’s lost manufacturing base by forcing companies to relocate to the United States.”This is a GREAT time to move your COMPANY into the United States of America, like Apple, and so many others, in record numbers, are doing,” Trump posted on Truth Social, adding “DON’T WAIT, DO IT NOW!”But many business experts and economists question how quickly — if ever — this could take place and warn it could reignite inflation.- Markets mixed -The escalating trade war has wiped off trillions of dollars in market value since last week as investors fear that the trade war will spark a recession.After some respite on Tuesday, stock markets were rattled on Wednesday.Wall Street’s main indexes were up in early morning deals while European stock markets were down around three percent in afternoon trading.Tokyo’s Nikkei index closed almost four percent lower.The dollar fell against major currencies while oil prices fell below $60 a barrel, their lowest level in four years.Government bond yields — essentially the interest countries pay to borrow money — rose in the United States, Japan and Britain, among other countries.The Bank of England warned of risks to “UK financial stability” from increased geopolitical tensions, including the fallout from the US tariffs.Italy is preparing to cut its 2025 growth forecast in half, to 0.6 percent from 1.2, a government source said, while Spain is also set to downgrade its outlook.Trump has said his government was working on “tailored deals” with trading partners, with the White House saying it would prioritise allies such as Japan and South Korea, which were hit with tariffs of 24 percent and 25 percent, respectively.His top trade official, Jamieson Greer, told the Senate that Argentina, Vietnam and Israel were among those who had offered to reduce their tariffs. Trump told a dinner with fellow Republicans on Tuesday night that countries were “dying” to make a deal.”I’m telling you, these countries are calling us up kissing my ass,” he said.Trump also said the United States would announce a major tariff on pharmaceuticals “very shortly”, prompting a sell-off in shares of pharmaceutical companies.burs-oho-lth/js

Author of explosive Meta memoir to star at US Senate hearing

The former Facebook employee behind a scathing book about parent company Meta will testify Wednesday before US senators keen to establish whether the social networking giant ever collaborated with the Chinese government.Former global policy director Sarah Wynn-Williams will allege the company explored breaking into the lucrative Chinese market by appeasing Beijing’s government censors.”I witnessed Meta work ‘hand in glove’ with the Chinese Communist Party to construct and test custom-built censorship tools that silenced and censored their critics,” Wynn-Williams will say, according to testimony made public by the Senate committee.”When Beijing demanded that Facebook delete the account of a prominent Chinese dissident living on American soil, they did it. And then lied to Congress when asked about the incident in a Senate hearing,” she will add.Meta communications director Andy Stone told AFP Wynn-Williams’ testimony was “divorced from reality and riddled with false claims.””While (Meta CEO) Mark Zuckerberg himself was public about our interest in offering our services in China and details were widely reported beginning over a decade ago, the fact is this: we do not operate our services in China today,” he added.The company’s family of apps is currently blocked in China.Of particular interest at Wednesday’s hearing, headed by Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri, is that Wynn-Williams contradicts what Zuckerberg has stated under oath during past congressional hearings.Wynn-Williams’s book, “Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed and Lost Idealism,” was released on March 11 and became a bestseller despite Meta winning an arbitration court order barring the author from promoting the work or making derogatory statements about the company.Her book recounts working at the tech titan from 2011 to 2017 and includes claims of sexual harassment by longtime company executive Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican and ally of President Donald Trump who took over as head of Meta’s global affairs team this year.Meta took the matter to arbitration, contending the book violates a non-disparagement contract signed by Wynn-Williams when she worked with the company’s global affairs team.”The measure of how important these truths are is directly proportional to the ferocity of Meta’s efforts to censor and intimidate me,” Wynn-Williams will tell Senators.”Careless People” ranks second on a New York Times bestseller list of nonfiction books, with another title highly critical of Meta close behind.”The Anxious Generation,” which paints a dark picture of social media’s effect on children, is currently fourth on the Times bestseller list, a year after its release.