
US and EU close in on 15% tariff deal, FT reports
Both the EU and US would waive tariffs on some products, including aircraft, spirits and medical devices, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
The bloc will continue to prepare a possible 93 billion euro ($109 billion) package of retaliatory tariffs, set at up to 30 per cent, in case they cannot agree a deal by August 1, the report added.
The White House and a spokesperson for the European Union did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Reuters could not immediately verify the FT report.
The Commission earlier said on Wednesday its primary focus was to achieve a negotiated outcome with the United States to avert 30% U.S. tariffs that Trump has said he will impose on the 27-nation bloc on August 1.
In 2024, the U.S. imported more than $55 billion of vehicles and automotive parts from Japan. From the EU, the equivalent figure was 47.3 billion euros ($55.45 billion), with far fewer U.S. models sold into the EU or Japanese market.
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Reuters
25 minutes ago
- Reuters
Dollar heads for biggest weekly drop in a month as focus shifts to Fed, BOJ meets
SINGAPORE, July 25 (Reuters) - The dollar steadied near two-week lows on Friday, on track for its biggest weekly drop in a month, as investors contended with U.S. tariff negotiations ahead of a deadline while looking ahead to central bank meetings next week for clues on policy. Both the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan are expected to hold rates at next week's policy meetings, but traders are focusing on the subsequent comments to gauge the timing of the next move. "Next week's BOJ policy meeting will be closely watched for hints on the timing of the next rate hike," said Carol Kong, currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The prospect of rate hikes by the BOJ had improved, she added, after a trade deal struck with the United States this week lowered tariffs to 15% on auto imports from Japan. The yen stood at 147.10 to the dollar, on course for a weekly gain of 1%, its strongest such performance since mid-May. A majority of economists in a Reuters poll this week expect Japan's central bank to raise interest rates by 25 basis points this year. The dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six other units, was at 97.448, set for a drop of 1% this week, its weakest performance in a month. On Thursday, the European Central Bank left its policy rate at 2%, as expected, in a break from a year of policy easing, to await clarity over future U.S. trade ties after the European Commission said a negotiated solution was in reach ahead of the August 1 deadline. The euro was little changed at $1.1754 in early trade, but not far from $1.183, the near four-year high it touched at the start of the month. The euro is up 13.5% this year as tariff policies take the shine off the dollar. Progress on trade deals has also raised market hopes for talks with China, after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said officials of both countries would meet in Stockholm next week to discuss an extension of the deal negotiation deadline. The Australian dollar has been boosted by the rise in risk appetite after the trade deals and was last at $0.6593, hovering near an eight-month high touched on Thursday. Donald Trump locked horns on Thursday with Fed Chair Jerome Powell during a rare presidential visit to the central bank, criticising the cost of renovating two historical buildings at its headquarters and pressing the case for lower interest rates. Markets mostly shrugged off the visit, however, having become accustomed to Trump's repeated tirades against Powell and the Fed. "Trump's Fed visit was spectacle over substance," said Prashant Newnaha, senior Asia-Pacific rates strategist at TD Securities. "The market's focus is firmly on next week's Fed meeting. We expect Powell to repeat a patient, data-dependent policy outlook with flexibility but (he) is unlikely to commit to cuts." At their two-day rate-setting meet, the central bank's 19 policymakers are widely expected to leave their benchmark interest rate in the range of 4.25% to 4.50%. Traders are pricing in 43 basis points of rate cuts by the end of 2025. ANZ strategists expect the Fed to cut rates by 25 basis points in September and again in December. "Were it not for tariff uncertainty, we judge that rate cuts would already have resumed," they said in a note. "The labour market is weakening, service price disinflation is well established, demand growth has slowed and there is no discernible evidence that higher tariffs are spilling into a broader inflation problem." In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin eased 0.79% to $117,840, while Ethereum was 2% lower at $3,655.


The Guardian
25 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘Japanese First': breakthrough by right-wing populists sparks fears of anti-foreigner backlash in Japan
The emergence of a right-wing populist party in Japan's upper house election on Sunday running on a Trump-style 'Japanese First' slogan has raised concerns of a backlash against the growing foreign presence in the country. The party, Sanseito, has successfully tapped into unease around an expanding immigrant population and a huge influx of tourists after the pandemic. But many see the underlying cause as economic insecurity among a population that both understands the need for overseas labour and visitors, and feels anxiety at the changes they bring and symbolise. Sanseito's new contingent of 14 upper house lawmakers, up from a single seat in the previous election, is undoubtedly a breakthrough, but still leaves it a minor force in the 248-seat chamber. Its success comes against the backdrop of a record 3.8 million foreign residents as of 2024, tourist visits surpassing 20 million in the first quarter of this year, and Tokyo property prices rapidly rising due to wealthy foreign buyers. 'To put it simply, I feel like the Japanese are starting to lose confidence,' says Masafumi Usui, a social psychology professor at Niigata Seiryo University. 'When you're living a comfortable life and are respected by others, then you feel secure, and you're more open. But when people feel that their survival is under threat or in crisis, they start wanting to protect their existing culture. I think that leads to things like patriotism and xenophobia.' Usui notes there was little anti-foreign sentiment during Japan's bubble economy in the 1980s, when it was seen as a powerhouse to be looked up to and learned from. But as its GDP growth stagnated and neighbours such as China and South Korea began to leave it behind in sectors from electronics to shipbuilding, he suggests Japan has struggled to adjust to its new reality. 'I do think people who openly engage in hate speech like 'get out of Japan' are still a minority,' says Usui. 'But more and more people have started saying, 'Why are we spending money on foreigners? Spend it on Japanese people instead.' And I think that's what Sanseito's 'Japanese First' slogan in the election really tapped into. It struck a chord with people who feel like they need to protect Japanese culture and way of life.' Japan's foreign-born population only accounts for about 3% of its residents. One of the contradictions is that to grow its economy Japan needs to increase that figure. Sanseito's answer to the chronic labour shortage is automation and AI, but even those wary of immigrants acknowledge that for the immediate future, more foreign workers are essential. There are around a dozen Vietnamese at the company where Akio Ono installs air conditioners, 'I get on well with them, most of the guys do. But when they go to customers' homes, they still have to go with a Japanese colleague as there is still prejudice, as well as language issues.' Reports of crimes by foreigners, often circulated on social media, have also raised shackles, even though police statistics show immigrants commit proportionally fewer offences than the native population. Ono believes news stories about Vietnamese and Chinese theft rings are 'a big part of what is driving the concerns about immigration.' 'I like the guys I work with but if I see a group of Vietnamese or Chinese walking around, I find them a bit scary. I think a lot of Japanese people feel that way,' adds Ono, who nevertheless voted for the left-wing Reiwa party. Toyonori Sugita, who runs a metalworking factory just south of Tokyo, leans right but also rejected Sanseito. He sees the electorate's main concerns as the economy and the sales tax, which Sanseito promised to cut. 'What can they actually do to realise 'Japanese First,' make the Chinese people who bought land return it?' questions Sugita. 'I've had Vietnamese working here under the government's Technical Intern Training Program for about three years,' he says. 'They mostly work hard and are earnest; unlike some Japanese, who complain a lot.' The tourist boom has also aroused conflicting emotions. While the money spent by visitors on luxury accommodation and high-end dining that now seem cheap by global standards boosts the economy, it is a stark reminder of Japan's decline from its glory days. Usui points out that Japanese people hadn't really been conscious of the gradual fall in relative prices over the last few decades until recent media coverage of big spending foreign tourists drove the point home. 'The reality is that Japan has become a cheap country. You can't deny that wages are higher overseas or that there are 10,000-yen [£50] sea urchin lunches aimed at foreigners. So, in order to protect their emotional wellbeing and maintain their sense of self-worth, people cling to the idea that Japanese culture is the best.'


North Wales Chronicle
27 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Trump to land in Scotland on Friday for start of five-day private trip
The US president is expected to arrive at Prestwick Airport in the evening, before heading over to his Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire. He is then expected to head over to his Menie golf course in Aberdeenshire before opening up a new course dedicated to his Scottish mother, who grew up on the Isle of Lewis. He will leave the country at some point on Tuesday. His presence will result in a significant operation from Police Scotland and thousands of officers, who are expected to deal with mass protests around his golf courses and major Scottish cities. Mr Trump will be greeted by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray when he lands, with the minister pledging to give the American leader a 'warm welcome'. He will meet with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his stay when the pair will discuss the UK-US trade deal. The US president will also meet with First Minister John Swinney. The SNP leader previously said he would have the opportunity to raise various issues with Mr Trump, including tariffs, Gaza and Ukraine. Speaking ahead of his arrival, Mr Swinney said the global attention the visit will receive provides Scotland with an opportunity to respectfully demonstrate the principles of freedom and justice for all, while also promoting Scotland's tourism sector and economic investment potential. He said: 'Scotland shares a strong friendship with the United States that goes back centuries. 'That partnership remains steadfast through economic, cultural and ancestral links – including of course, with the President himself. 'As we welcome the President of the United States, Scotland will be showcased on the world stage. 'This provides Scotland with a platform to make its voice heard on the issues that matter, including war and peace, justice and democracy. 'It also includes the millions of Americans – many of them potential future tourists or investors in Scotland – who will watch their elected President as he visits our country. 'As First Minister it is my responsibility to advance our interests, raise global and humanitarian issues of significant importance, including the unimaginable suffering we are witnessing in Gaza, and ensure Scotland's voice is heard at the highest levels of government across the world. 'That is exactly what I will do when I meet with President Trump during his time in Scotland.' The SNP leader said Scotland is a 'proud democratic nation' that 'stands firm on the principles of equality and freedom for all, and a society that stands up for a fair and just world'. Ahead of protests expected around Scotland, he said people had a right to 'peaceful demonstration', adding that 'everyone has the democratic right to protect and express their views in a peaceful, and democratic manner'. 'That is right and proper,' he added. 'I am confident the vast majority of people protesting will do Scotland proud and demonstrate as they should – peacefully and lawfully. 'I am also confident that Scotland's police service can handle the challenge of keeping all our communities safe and, as they must, in maintaining the appropriate security any US President requires. 'This weekend is a landmark moment in our relationship with the United States, and I am certain it will be remembered for Scotland showing the world the very best of itself.'