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Weeks after he was forced to return from Iran, Mohammad Mohsen Zaryab was still searching for somewhere to live in Kabul, where rental prices have soared along with an influx of Afghans expelled from neighbouring countries. More than 2.1 million Afghans have returned from Pakistan and Iran so far this year, according to the United Nations refugee agency. They join earlier rounds of mass expulsions from the neighbouring countries, deported or driven out by fear of arrest.Many of the returnees, like Zaryab, fled with their meagre belongings to Kabul, expecting the swelling city of eight million to offer the best prospects of finding work in a country where half the population lives below the poverty line.Zaryab begged landlords to bring down prices for his family of eight, only to be told, “If you can’t pay, someone else will”. The 47-year-old factory worker said he had expected when he returned in July to find more solidarity for Afghans coming “from far away with no home”. Multiple Kabul property dealers told AFP that rental prices had skyrocketed with the influx of returnees. “Since landlords noticed that refugees (from Iran and Pakistan) were returning, they doubled their rents,” said real estate agent Hamed Hassani, calling for the government to “intervene”. “We have many refugees who come to ask us for an apartment to rent, and most of them cannot afford what’s available,” he said. – Urban anarchy -A year ago, a three-room house would on average cost 10,000 Afghanis ($145) per month, but renters now pay 20,000, said Nabiullah Quraishi, the head of a property dealership. The cost amounts to a fortune for the majority of Afghanistan’s 48 million people, 85 percent of whom live on less than one dollar a day, according to the UN.Two years ago, multiple landlords would come to Quraishi’s business every month seeking help renting their property. Now, demand outstrips supply, he said. The municipality denies any housing crisis in the city. Major urban development plans, which include building new roads even if it means bulldozing numerous residences, are further straining housing access.”Seventy-five percent of the city was developed unplanned,” municipality spokesman Nematullah Barakzai told AFP. “We don’t want this to happen again.” – Can’t stay, can’t leave -Zahra Hashimi fears being evicted from the single basement room that has served as her home since she and her family returned from Iran. Her husband, who works odd jobs, earns about 80 Afghanis per day (a little over a dollar), not enough to pay the rent for the property, which has no electricity or running water. “We lost everything when we returned to Afghanistan,” said Hashimi, whose eldest daughter can no longer attend school under Taliban rules that deny women and girls schooling and employment. Her two primary-school-aged daughters could still attend, but the family cannot afford the tuition. The housing pressures have also affected long-time Kabul residents. Tamana Hussaini, who teaches sewing in the west of Kabul, where rents are lower, said her landlord wants to raise the 3,000 Afghani rent for their three-bedroom apartment.The family of eight tried to move out, but “rents are too high”, she told AFP. “It’s a frustrating situation where you can’t stay, but you can’t leave either.” 

Indian exporters warned on Thursday that the cost of additional US tariffs risked making businesses “not viable” after President Donald Trump ordered steeper levies totalling 50 percent on imported Indian goods.Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was willing to “pay a great personal price”, while opposition Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi called the levies “economic blackmail” and “an attempt to bully India into an unfair trade deal”.Stocks opened marginally lower on Thursday, with the benchmark Nifty index down 0.31 percent after an initial 25 percent US tariff came into effect.That levy will be doubled in three weeks after Trump signed an order on Wednesday to impose an additional 25 percent tariff because of New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian oil, a key revenue source for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.India is the second-largest buyer of Russian oil, saving itself billions of dollars on discounted crude.India’s foreign ministry condemned Trump’s announcement of further tariffs, calling the move “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”.S.C. Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, said he feared a troubling impact.”This move is a severe setback for Indian exports, with nearly 55 percent of our shipments to the US market directly affected,” he said in a statement.”The 50 percent reciprocal tariff effectively imposes a cost burden, placing our exporters at a 30–35 percent competitive disadvantage compared to peers from countries with lesser reciprocal tariff.”Ralhan said “many export orders have already been put on hold” as buyers reassess sourcing decisions.Profit margins for “a large number” of small- to medium-sized enterprises profit “are already thin”, he said.”Absorbing this sudden cost escalation is simply not viable,” he said.India, the world’s fifth-largest economy and most populous nation, is bracing for a bumpy ride because the United States is its largest trading partner, with New Delhi shipping goods worth $87.4 billion in 2024.”If the extra 25 percent tariff that President Trump has announced on imports from India remains in place, India’s attractiveness as an emerging manufacturing hub will be hugely undermined,” Shilan Shah of Capital Economics said in a note.US spending drives around 2.5 percent of India’s GDP, Shah said.A 50 percent tariff is “large enough to have a material impact”, he said, with the resulting drop in exports meaning the economy would grow by closer to six percent this year and next, down from the seven percent they currently forecast.- Drug, gems, seafood -India’s top exports include smart phones, drugs, gems, textiles and industrial machinery, with some of the most labour-intensive goods — including jewellery and seafood — under threat.The Seafood Exporters Association of India said on Wednesday that the 50 percent tariff “imperils” its $3 billion business.India’s jewellery sector, which exported goods worth more than $10 billion last year, had already warned of job losses potentially hitting “thousands” at lower levy levels. It called the higher rate “devastating”.A key sticking point for India has been its reluctance to fully open its agriculture, a sector that employs vast numbers of people, to US imports.Modi said in a speech on Thursday that “India will never compromise on the interests of its farmers”.He said he would “have to pay a great personal price, but I am ready for it”, without giving further details.It seemed a far cry from India’s early hopes for special tariff treatment. Trump said in February he found a “special bond” with Modi when the Indian leader visited Washington.Successive US administrations have seen India as a key partner that has like-minded interests with regard to China.India and China are intense rivals competing for strategic influence across South Asia. Indian media has reported that Modi might visit long-time rival China in late August. The trip has not been confirmed by officials but it would be his first visit to China since 2018.Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping last met in Russia in October 2024.

The United States began charging higher tariffs on goods from dozens of trading partners Thursday, in a major escalation of President Donald Trump’s drive to reshape global commerce in America’s favor.Shortly before the new levies kicked in, Washington separately announced it would double Indian tariffs to 50 percent and hit many semiconductor imports from around the world with a 100-percent levy.As an executive order signed last week by Trump took effect, US import duties rose from 10 percent to levels between 15 percent and 41 percent for a list of trading partners.Many imports from economies including the European Union, Japan and South Korea now face a 15-percent tariff, even with deals struck with Washington to avert steeper threatened levies.But others like India face a 25-percent duty — to be doubled in three weeks to 50 percent — while Syria, Myanmar and Laos face staggering levels at either 40 percent or 41 percent. Switzerland’s government, which failed to convince Trump not to impose a stinging 39-percent tariff, was set to hold an extraordinary meeting later Thursday.Taking to his Truth Social platform just after midnight, Trump posted: “IT’S MIDNIGHT!!! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TARIFFS ARE NOW FLOWING INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!”The latest wave of “reciprocal” duties, aimed at addressing trade practices Washington deems unfair, broadens the measures Trump has imposed since returning to the presidency.- ‘No charge’ -On the eve of his latest salvo, he doubled planned duties on Indian goods to 50 percent, citing New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. The new levy — up from 25 percent now — would take effect in three weeks.The Federation of Indian Export Organisations called the move a “severe setback for Indian exports, with nearly 55 percent of our shipments to the US market directly affected.”For New Delhi, one of the main sticking points has been Washington’s demand to access India’s vast agricultural and dairy market. “We will not compromise with the interests of our farmers, our dairy sector, our fishermen,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday.Trump’s order also threatened penalties on other countries that “directly or indirectly” import Russian oil, a key revenue source for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.Washington has already separately stuck tariffs on sector-specific imports such as steel, autos and pharmaceuticals. Trump said Wednesday he also planned an “approximately 100 percent tariff” on semiconductor imports, but with “no charge” for companies investing in the United States or committed to do so.Shares in Taiwanese chip-making giant TSMC surged as Taipei said it would be exempt, but some other Asian manufacturers took a beating.Companies and industry groups warn the new levies will severely hurt smaller American businesses, while economists caution that they could fuel inflation and hit growth.With the dust settling on countries’ tariff levels, at least for now, Georgetown University professor Marc Busch expects US businesses to pass along more of the bill to consumers.- ‘This will matter’ -An earlier 90-day pause in these higher “reciprocal” tariffs gave importers time to stock up, he said.But although the wait-and-see strategy led businesses to absorb more of the tariff burden initially, inventories are depleting and it is unlikely they will do this indefinitely, he told AFP.”With back-to-school shopping just weeks away, this will matter politically,” said Busch, an international trade policy expert.The tariffs leave lingering questions for partners that have negotiated deals with Trump recently.Tokyo and Washington, for example, appear at odds over key details of their pact, in particular on when lower levies on Japanese cars will take place.Generally, US auto imports now face a 25-percent duty under a sector-specific order. Toyota has cut its full-year profit forecast by 14 percent because of the tariffs.Japan and the United States also appear to differ on whether the “reciprocal” tolls of 15 percent on other Japanese goods would be on top of existing levies or — like the EU — be capped at that level.China and the United States, meanwhile, currently have a shaky truce in their standoff but that is due to expire on August 12.Chinese exports to the United States tumbled 21.7 percent last month, official data showed, while those to the European Union jumped 9.2 percent and to Southeast Asia by 16.6 percent.The EU is seeking a carveout from tariffs for its key wine industry.In a recent industry letter addressed to Trump, the US Wine Trade Alliance and others urged the sector’s exclusion from tolls, saying: “Wine sales account for up to 60 percent of gross margins of full-service restaurants.”Trump has separately targeted Brazil over the trial of his right-wing ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of planning a coup.US tariffs on various Brazilian goods surged from 10 percent to 50 percent Wednesday, but broad exemptions including for orange juice and civil aircraft are seen as softening the blow. Still, key products like Brazilian coffee, beef and sugar are hit.burs-stu/dan

Apple will invest an additional $100 billion in the United States, taking its total pledge to $600 billion over the next four years, US President Donald Trump said Wednesday.Trump announced the increased commitment at the White House alongside the tech giant’s CEO Tim Cook, calling it “the largest investment Apple has made in America.” “Apple will massively increase spending on its domestic supply chain,” Trump added, highlighting a new production facility for the glass used to make iPhone screens in Kentucky.In February, Apple said it would spend more than $500 billion in the United States and hire 20,000 people, with Trump quickly taking credit for the decision. It builds on plans announced in 2021, when the company founded by Steve Jobs said it would invest $430 billion in the country and add 20,000 jobs.”This year alone, American manufacturers are on track to make 19 billion chips for Apple in 24 factories across 12 different states,” Cook said in the Oval Office.Trump, who has pushed US companies to shift manufacturing home by slapping tariffs on trading partners, claimed that his administration was to thank for the investment.”This is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of… ensuring that iPhones sold in the United States of America also are made in America,” Trump said. Cook later clarified that, while many iPhone components will be manufactured in the United States, the complete assembly of iPhones will still be conducted overseas.”If you look at the bulk of it, we’re doing a lot of the semiconductors here, we’re doing the glass here, we’re doing the Face ID module here… and we’re doing these for products sold elsewhere in the world,” Cook said.He gifted Trump a custom-engraved glass piece made by iPhone glassmaker Corning, set in a 24-karat gold base.Cook said the Kentucky-made glass piece was designed by a former Marine Corps corporal now working at Apple. After receiving it, Trump said it was “nice” that “we’re doing these things now in the United States, instead of other countries, faraway countries.”- ‘They’re coming home’ -Trump has repeatedly said he plans to impose a “100 percent” tariff on imported semiconductors, a major export of Taiwan, South Korea, China and Japan. “We’re going to be putting a very large tariff on chips and semiconductors,” he told reporters at the White House.Taiwanese giant TSMC — the world’s largest contract maker of chips, which counts Nvidia and Apple among its clients — would be “exempt” from those tariffs as it has factories in the United States, Taipei said Thursday. While he did not offer a timetable for enactment of the new tech levies, on Tuesday, he said fresh tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and chips could be unveiled within the coming week.The United States is “going to be very rich and it’s companies like Apple, they’re coming home,” Trump said.Trump specified further that “Apple will help develop and manufacture semiconductors and semiconductor equipment in Texas, Utah, Arizona and New York.” He noted that if tech companies commit to manufacturing their wares in the United States, “there will be no charge.”Apple reported a quarterly profit of $23.4 billion in late July, topping forecasts despite facing higher costs due to Trump’s sweeping levies.

Asian equities rose Thursday as investors looked past Donald Trump’s threat to impose 100 percent tariffs on semiconductors, with optimism still high that the Federal Reserve will slash interest rates next month.A day before sweeping tariffs came into effect on dozens of countries, the US president said Washington would also be placing a “100 percent” tariff on chips and semiconductors but he did not offer a timetable.However, he said “the good news for companies like Apple is, if you’re building in the United States, or have committed to build… in the United States, there will be no charge”.Stock gains were led Thursday by Taiwan’s giant TSMC, which surged almost five percent, with the island’s National Development Council chief Liu Chin-ching saying the firm was in the clear.”Because Taiwan’s main exporter is TSMC, which has factories in the United States, TSMC is exempt,” he told a briefing in parliament.TSMC, which is ramping up manufacturing in Arizona, has pledged to invest as much as $165 billion in the United States.Seoul-listed Samsung, which is also pumping billions into the world’s number one economy, rose more than two percent while South Korean rival SK hynix was up more than one percent.Apple-linked firms were helped after the US giant said it would invest an additional $100 billion in the United States, taking its total pledge to $600 billion over the next four years.However, Japanese trade Tokyo Electron, a major producer of chipmaking equipment, plunged more than two percent, while chipmaker Renesas sank 3.8 percent.Precision tools maker Disco Corporation gave up 1.8 percent.Sony soared 4.1 percent after the PlayStation-maker raised its annual profit forecasts, citing strong performance in its key gaming business and a smaller-than-expected negative impact of US trade tariffs.- Tariff talks -Analysts said that while the chip threat was steep, there was optimism the final level would be lower.”The figure fits Trump’s approach of ‘open high, negotiate down’ and the final figure could be similar to reciprocal tariffs to limit inflation in consumer goods — given that many have chips,” said Morningstar’s Phelix Lee.Trump’s remarks came hours before his sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs kicked in Thursday against trading partners, and after he doubled his levy on India to 50 percent over its purchase of Russian oil.Fifty percent tolls on Brazilian goods came into place Wednesday.Asian markets extended their recent run-up following a strong day on Wall Street, where Apple jumped more than five percent and Amazon piled on four percent.Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Jakarta and Wellington were all in the green, with Taipei leading the way thanks to the surge in TSMC.Shanghai finished on a positive note after data showed Chinese exports rose more than expected, with a surge in shipments to the European Union and Southeast Asian nations offsetting a more than 20 percent plunge in those to the United States.Imports also climbed, providing a boost to efforts to kick-start the Chinese economy.Mumbai fell, along with Sydney and Manila as well as London. Paris and Frankfurt edged up.Traders had already been on a buying streak on optimism the Fed will cut rates after data last week showing US jobs creation cratered in May, June and July, signalling the economy was weakening. US futures rose.Oil prices also rose after Trump threatened penalties on other countries that “directly or indirectly” import Russian oil, after imposing his extra toll on India.Traders are keeping tabs on developments regarding Moscow and its war in Ukraine after the US president said he could meet with Vladimir Putin “very soon”. That followed what he called highly productive talks between his special envoy and the Russian leader.- Key figures at around 0810 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 41,059.15 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.7 percent at 25,081.63 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,639.67 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 9,129.05 Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1692 from $1.1659 on WednesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3376 from $1.3358Dollar/yen: DOWN at 146.89 yen from 147.38 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.41 pence from 87.23 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $64.79 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.6 percent at $67.28 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 44,193.12 (close)

US tariffs prompted Japanese auto giant Toyota on Thursday to cut its annual net profit forecast by 14 percent.The world’s largest automaker by vehicle sales now expects a net profit of 2.66 trillion yen ($18.06 billion), down from 3.1 trillion yen previously forecasted. “Due to the impact of US tariffs and other factors, actual results showed decreased operating income, and the forecast has been revised downward,” the firm said in a statement.Its shares fell by as much as 2.4 percent in Tokyo afternoon trade before recovering off lows.The Trump administration in April imposed a 25 percent levy on Japanese cars imported into the United States, dealing a hefty blow to Japan and its crucial auto sector.Although Tokyo and Washington announced a trade deal in July, lowering that rate to 15 percent and providing a degree of relief for the industry, it’s not yet clear when it will take effect.There is also confusion over whether the car tariff — as well as other “reciprocal” levies — will be capped at 15 percent, or if these would come on top of those in place before Trump’s trade blitz.The auto industry had a pre-existing 2.5 percent tariff, meaning the levy currently stands at 27.5 percent.Toyota’s revenues in the first quarter were up 3.5 percent, but net income plunged by 36.9 percent. – Tariffs hit forecasts -The results come after Honda said Wednesday its net profit had halved in the first quarter because of US tariffs, although it upgraded its annual profit forecast due to the deal with Washington.In the first three months of its fiscal year, which begins in April, net profit fell to 196.67 billion yen ($1.3 billion), a drop of 50.2 percent year-on-year, Honda said.Revenue dipped 1.2 percent to 5.34 trillion yen.Honda, Japan’s second-biggest automaker after Toyota, has managed to withstand the pressure better than its Japanese competitors. More than 60 percent of the vehicles it sells in the United States are built there, the highest percentage of all major Japanese automakers, according to Bloomberg Intelligence auto analyst Tatsuo Yoshida.Struggling Japanese rival Nissan, whose mooted merger with Honda collapsed this year and which is slashing jobs and closing factories, in July posted a net loss of 116 billion yen ($784 million).German carmaker BMW stuck to its 2025 targets last month despite quarterly profits tumbling a third due partly to US tariffs, insisting its large American operations meant it could weather the storm.That stood in contrast to domestic rivals Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, who cut their outlooks as they grapple with the fallout from Trump’s hardball trade policies.Ford meanwhile projected a $2 billion full-year earnings hit due to the levies.

China’s exports rose more than expected last month, with official data on Thursday showing a jump in shipments to the European Union and other markets offset a drop in those to the United States.The figures come as Beijing and Washington navigate a shaky trade war truce and will provide a boost to the country’s leaders as they look to kickstart an economy beset by weak domestic consumption. The reading showed that exports jumped 7.2 percent in July, an improvement on the previous month and much better than the 5.6 percent forecast in a survey of economists by Bloomberg.The report revealed that US-bound goods sank 21.7 percent year-on-year as Donald Trump’s levies — while down from the eye-watering levels initially announced — kicked in.However, exports to the European Union jumped 9.2 percent and those to the Association of Southeast Asian nations rose 16.6 percent.Southeast Asia and China have deeply interwoven supply chains and Washington has long accused Chinese manufacturers of “transshipping” — having products pass through a country to avoid harsher trade barriers elsewhere.In another welcome signal for China’s leaders, imports — a key gauge of struggling domestic demand — jumped 4.1 percent on-year in July, compared with a Bloomberg forecast of a one-percent fall.Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management, said the data showed “exports supported the economy strongly so far this year”.”Export growth may slow in coming months, as the front loading of exports due to US tariffs fades away,” he said.”The big question is how much China’s exports will slow and how it would spill over to the rest of the economy,” he said.Beijing has set an official goal of around five percent growth this year.But it has struggled to maintain a strong economic recovery from the pandemic, as it fights a debt crisis in its massive property sector, chronically low consumption and elevated youth unemployment.- Further US talks -Factory output shrank more than expected in July, data showed last week, logging its fourth straight month of contraction in a further sign that trade tensions were hitting the export-dependent economy.But the economic superpowers are working to reach a deal to lower trade tensions.The two hammered out a 90-day truce in May, and last month in Stockholm agreed to hold further talks on extending the ceasefire past an August 12 deadline.That pact has temporarily set fresh US duties on Chinese goods at 30 percent, while Beijing’s levies on US products stand at 10 percent.US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said following the Stockholm talks that Trump would have the “final say” on any extension of a tariffs truce.Higher tariffs on dozens of trading partners — including a blistering 35 percent on Canada — also came into force Thursday as Trump seeks to reshape global trade to benefit the US economy.China’s dominance in the critical field of rare earths has also been a key point of contention with Washington, and Beijing’s recent restrictions on their export have sounded alarm bells at factories in the United States and elsewhere.Official data showed Thursday that Chinese exports of the elements receded last month from a June spike, though they remained high compared to recent years.Analysts say China’s trade will face significant hurdles in the latter half of the year as uncertainties linger.”Exports look set to remain under pressure in the near-term,” wrote Zichun Huang, China Economist at Capital Economics, in a note Thursday.And while “import growth surprised in July, this may reflect inventory building for certain commodities rather than a wider pick-up in domestic demand”, she added.

Higher US tariffs came into effect for dozens of economies Thursday, drastically raising the stakes in President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging efforts to reshape global trade.As an executive order signed last week by Trump took effect, US duties rose from 10 percent to levels between 15 percent and 41 percent for a list of trading partners.Many products from economies including the European Union, Japan and South Korea now face a 15-percent tariff, even with deals struck with Washington to avert steeper threatened levies.But others like India face a 25-percent duty — to be doubled in three weeks — while Syria, Myanmar and Laos face staggering levels at either 40 percent or 41 percent.Taking to his Truth Social platform just after midnight, Trump posted: “IT’S MIDNIGHT!!! BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TARIFFS ARE NOW FLOWING INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!”The latest tariff wave of “reciprocal” duties, aimed at addressing trade practices Washington deems unfair, broadens the measures Trump has imposed since returning to the presidency.But these higher tariffs do not apply to sector-specific imports that are separately targeted, such as steel, autos, pharmaceuticals and chips. Trump said Wednesday he planned a 100-percent tariff on semiconductors — though Taipei said chipmaking giant TSMC would be exempt as it has US factories. Even so, companies and industry groups warn that the new levies will severely hurt smaller American businesses. Economists caution that they could fuel inflation and weigh on growth in the longer haul.While some experts argue that the effects on prices will be one-off, others believe the jury is still out.With the dust settling on countries’ tariff levels, at least for now, Georgetown University professor Marc Busch expects US businesses to pass along more of the bill to consumers.An earlier 90-day pause in these higher “reciprocal” tariffs gave importers time to stock up, he said.But although the wait-and-see strategy led businesses to absorb more of the tariff burden initially, inventories are depleting and it is unlikely they will do this indefinitely, he told AFP.”With back-to-school shopping just weeks away, this will matter politically,” said Busch, an international trade policy expert.- Devil in the details -The tariff order taking effect Thursday also leaves lingering questions for partners that have negotiated deals with Trump recently.Tokyo and Washington, for example, appear at odds over key details of their tariffs pact, such as when lower levies on Japanese cars will take place.Washington has yet to provide a date for reduced auto tariffs to take effect for Japan, the EU and South Korea. Generally, US auto imports now face a 25-percent duty under a sector-specific order.A White House official told AFP that Japan’s 15-percent tariff stacks atop of existing duties, despite Tokyo’s expectations of some concessions.Meanwhile, the EU continues to seek a carveout from tariffs for its key wine industry.In a recent industry letter addressed to Trump, the US Wine Trade Alliance and others urged the sector’s exclusion from tariffs, saying: “Wine sales account for up to 60 percent of gross margins of full-service restaurants.”- New fronts -Trump is also not letting up in his trade wars.He opened a new front Wednesday by doubling planned duties on Indian goods to 50 percent, citing New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. But the additional 25-percent duty would take effect in three weeks.Trump’s order for added India duties also threatened penalties on other countries that “directly or indirectly” import Russian oil, a key revenue source for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.Existing exemptions still apply, with pharmaceuticals and smartphones excluded for now.And Trump has separately targeted Brazil over the trial of his right-wing ally, former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of planning a coup.US tariffs on various Brazilian goods surged from 10 percent to 50 percent Wednesday, but broad exemptions including for orange juice and civil aircraft are seen as softening the blow.Still, key products like Brazilian coffee, beef and sugar are hit.Many of Trump’s sweeping tariffs face legal challenges over his use of emergency economic powers, with the cases likely to ultimately reach the US Supreme Court.

PlayStation-maker Sony raised its annual profit forecasts on Thursday, citing strong performance in its key gaming business and a smaller-than-expected negative impact of US trade tariffs.The Japanese electronics and entertainment conglomerate said “user engagement continued its strong momentum” in the video game sector.Its shares surged more than six percent in Tokyo after the announcement.Monthly active users in June and total gameplay hours on PlayStation consoles in the April-June quarter both increased six percent year-on-year, it said.It added that “the situation surrounding the additional US tariffs is still fluid, and we intend to continue to monitor it and take action to minimise its impact”.”The impact of the additional US tariffs on operating income is estimated to be approximately 70 billion yen ($470 million), a decrease of 30 billion yen from the previous forecast.”The company hiked its net profit forecast for the current 2025-26 financial year to 970 billion yen ($6.6 billion), up from the previous estimate of 930 billion yen.But even the higher forecast would not top the record net profit of 1.1 trillion yen that Sony logged in the previous financial year.Atul Goyal, an equity analyst at Jefferies, said ahead of the earnings release that the massively anticipated global release of the game “Grand Theft Auto VI” in May 2026 “could lead to peak game profits” for Sony.GTA VI, which will be released on the PlayStation 5 and Microsoft’s XBox, will be set in Miami-like Vice City and features a playable female protagonist for the first time.The PlayStation 5, which launched in 2020, is entering a “late” stage of the usual lifecycle for a console, Goyal said.”Sony’s outlook hinges on navigating tariff headwinds near-term, leveraging GTA6’s blockbuster potential… and cyclical console risks,” he said.”A sensors spin-off could transform valuation, while music provides steady growth and pictures provides stability.”Music streaming is an important business pillar for Sony, which has an impressive back catalogue and a current roster that includes artists such as Beyonce and Lil Nas X.The Japanese giant, which saw net profit jump 23 percent on-year in this year’s April-June quarter, also raised its operating profit forecast on Thursday.Sony last month said it had bought a strategic 2.5 percent stake in Japanese game franchise giant Bandai Namco, which owns “Gundam” and arcade classic “Pac-Man”, with a view to growing its anime business.With the 68 billion yen transaction, the companies plan “to create new and emotionally moving experiences for fans”, they said in a joint statement.

Asian equities rose Thursday, with big-name chip firms making big gains after Donald Trump said those investing in the United States would be exempted from a threatened 100-percent tariff on semiconductors.The advances built on a strong lead from Wall Street and extended the previous day’s rally fuelled by hopes the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month.A day before sweeping tariffs were due to come into effect on dozens of countries, the president said: “we’re going to be putting a very large tariff on chips and semiconductors”.He added that the level would be “100 percent” but did not offer a timetable.However, he said “the good news for companies like Apple is, if you’re building in the United States, or have committed to build… in the United States, there will be no charge”.Stock gains were led by Taiwan’s giant TSMC, which surged almost five percent in early trade, with the island’s National Development Council chief Liu Chin-ching saying the firm was in the clear.”Because Taiwan’s main exporter is TSMC, which has factories in the United States, TSMC is exempt,” he told a briefing in parliament.TSMC, which is ramping up manufacturing in Arizona, has pledged to invest as much as $165 billion in the United States, which the firm said in March was the “largest single foreign direct investment in US history”.Seoul-listed Samsung, which is also pumping billions into the world’s number one economy, rose more than two percent while South Korean rival SK hynix was also up.Apple-linked firms were also helped after the US giant said it will invest an additional $100 billion in the United States, taking its total pledge to $600 billion over the next four years.Foxconn and Pegatron both rose in Taipei.However, Tokyo Electron and Renesas both retreated in Japanese trade.- Tariff talks -“To some degree this outcome would be something of a relief,” said Morgan Stanley analysts.”Yes, 100 percent tariffs are unpalatable but if companies are given time to restore them, the real tax is just the higher cost of building chips in the United States.”Trump’s remarks came hours before his wide-ranging “reciprocal” tariffs are set to kick in against trading partners, and after he doubled his levy on India to 50 percent over its purchase of Russian oil.Fifty percent tolls on Brazilian goods came into place Wednesday, with significant exemptions, after Trump targeted Latin America’s biggest economy over its prosecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro.Investors are keeping tabs on talks between the White House and New Delhi, as well as other countries including Switzerland, which was this week hammered with a 39 percent toll.Asian markets extended their recent run-up and have regained much of last week’s losses sparked by the president’s tariff announcements and weak US jobs data.Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Seoul and Wellington were all in the green, with Taipei leading the way thanks to the surge in TSMC.The gains followed a strong day on Wall Street, where Apple jumped more than five percent and Amazon piled on four percent.Traders had already been on a buying streak as they grew optimistic that the Fed will cut rates after data last week showing US jobs creation cratered in May, June and July, signalling the economy was weakening. US futures rose Thursday.Oil prices rose after Trump threatened penalties on other countries that “directly or indirectly” import Russian oil, after imposing his extra toll on India.Still, traders are keeping tabs on developments regarding Moscow and its war in Ukraine after the US president said he could meet with Vladimir Putin “very soon” following what he called highly productive talks between his special envoy and the Russian leader.- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.8 percent at 41,114.68 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.3 percent at 24,985.53Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,636.23Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1657 from $1.1659 on WednesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3355 from $1.3358Dollar/yen: UP at 147.50 yen from 147.38 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.29 pence from 87.23 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.9 percent at $64.93 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.9 percent at $67.47 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 44,193.12 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 9,164.31 (close)