logo
US and Japan agree trade deal to circumvent worst of tariffs

US and Japan agree trade deal to circumvent worst of tariffs

Sky News5 days ago
The US and Japan have agreed a trade deal days ahead of the latest tariff deadline set by Donald Trump.
Under the terms of the agreement, rather than all Japanese goods being hit with a 24% tax on entry to the US, they will instead be subject to a 15% tariff.
Significantly, and unlike the US-UK deal, there is no cap on the number of Japanese cars subject to the agreed lower tariff. The levy on cars and car parts has been brought down from 25% to 15%, making it the first country to secure a reduction in the blanket 25% rate on vehicles.
Cars make up more than a quarter of all Japan's exports to the US.
Japanese steel and aluminium are still subject to a 25% tariff.
It's just over a week until the 1 August pause on tariffs is due to end, itself a six-week extension to the 9 July 90-day freeze US President Trump announced in April.
It's seen a win for all parties as Japan is a major trading partner of the world's largest economy.
3:51
To make the deal happen, Japan agreed to a $550bn (£406bn) investment package of loans and guarantees from Japanese government-affiliated institutions in key sectors like pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.
Japan will also increase purchases of US agricultural products such as rice.
Market reaction
Markets welcomed the news.
In the US, the value of a dollar ticked up, and in Japan, the benchmark stock exchange, the Nikkei, gained sizably, and closed up more than 3.5%.
The index is comprised of many major carmakers, including Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Toyota, and Mitsubishi, which all rallied following the news.
Other Asian stock indexes closed up, including Korea's Kospi, which rose nearly 0.44%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, which increased more than 1.6%, and Thailand's SET index, which was up more than 2.3%.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Indian shares inch lower as Kotak earnings drag financials, trade deal delay weighs
Indian shares inch lower as Kotak earnings drag financials, trade deal delay weighs

Reuters

time23 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Indian shares inch lower as Kotak earnings drag financials, trade deal delay weighs

July 28 (Reuters) - Indian shares inched lower on Monday as weak results from Kotak Mahindra Bank weighed on sentiment, while uncertainty over trade talks with the U.S. added to overall caution. The Nifty 50 (.NSEI), opens new tab fell 0.16% to 24,798.9 points and the BSE Sensex (.BSESN), opens new tab lost 0.2% to 81,325.4 as of 10:03 a.m. IST. The broader small-caps (.NIFSMCP100), opens new tab and mid-caps (.NIFMDCP100), opens new tab lost 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively. Negotiations between India and the United States remained deadlocked over tariff cuts on agriculture and dairy products, dimming hopes of an interim deal ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's August 1 deadline. This is in contrast to a framework trade agreement struck between the U.S. and European Union over the weekend, easing fears of a bigger trade war between the two allies, which account for almost a third of global trade. High-weightage financials (.NIFTYFIN), opens new tab and private banks (.NIFPVTBNK), opens new tab lost 0.2% and 1%, respectively, dragged by a 7% fall in Kotak Mahindra Bank ( opens new tab after it posted a drop in quarterly profit. The IT index (.NIFTYIT), opens new tab lost 0.5%, with Tata Consultancy Services ( opens new tab shedding 1.6% after it announced plans to reduce its workforce by 2% in fiscal year 2026. The Nifty 50 and 30-stock Sensex (.BSESN), opens new tab have logged four consecutive weekly losses due to weak earnings, foreign outflows and uncertainty over the U.S.-India trade deal. "A dull earnings season and the lingering delay in the India-U.S. trade deal have clearly cast a shadow on market sentiment. With valuations still stretched across the board, investors are understandably treading with heightened caution," said G Chokkalingam, founder and head of research at Equinomics Research. Among individual stocks, Mphasis ( opens new tab gained 2.4% on posting quarterly results in-line with estimates and on strong deal bookings, which has boosted the IT company's revenue growth outlook. SBI Cards and Payment Services ( opens new tab lost 3.7% after missing profit estimates in the June quarter.

Asian shares are mixed after Wall Street sets more records for US stocks
Asian shares are mixed after Wall Street sets more records for US stocks

The Independent

time24 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Asian shares are mixed after Wall Street sets more records for US stocks

Stock markets in Asia were mixed on Monday after U.S. stocks rose to more records as they closed out another winning week. U.S. futures and oil prices were higher ahead of trade talks in Stockholm between U.S. and Chinese officials. European futures rose after the European Union forged a deal with the Trump administration calling for 15% tariffs on most exports to the U.S. The agreement announced after President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met briefly at Trump's Turnberry golf course in Scotland staves off far higher import duties on both sides that might have sent shock waves through economies around the globe. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index lost 1% to 41,056.81 after doubts surfaced over what exactly the trade truce between Japan and U.S. President Donald Trump, especially the $550 billion pledge of investment in the U.S. by Japan, will entail. Terms of the deal are still being negotiated and nothing has been formalized in writing, said an official, who insisted on anonymity to detail the terms of the talks. The official suggested the goal was for a $550 billion fund to make investments at Trump's direction. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 0.4% to 25,490.45 while the Shanghai Composite index lost 0.2% to 3,587.25. Taiwan's Taiex rose 0.3%. CK Hutchison, a Hong Kong conglomerate that's selling ports at the Panama Canal, said it may seek a Chinese investor to join a consortium of buyers in a move that might please Beijing but could also bring more U.S. scrutiny to a geopolitically fraught deal. CK Hutchison's shares fell 0.6% on Monday in Hong Kong. Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea's Kospi was little changed at 3,195.49, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.3% to 8,688.40. India's Sensex slipped 0.1%. Markets in Thailand were closed for a holiday. On Friday, the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 6,388.64, setting an all-time for the fifth time in a week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.5% to 44,901.92, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.2%, closing at 21,108.32 to top its own record. Deckers, the company behind Ugg boots and Hoka shoes, jumped 11.3% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the spring than analysts expected. Its growth was particularly strong outside the United States, where revenue soared nearly 50%. But Intell fell 8.5% after reporting a loss for the latest quarter, when analysts were looking for a profit. The struggling chipmaker also said it would cut thousands of jobs and eliminate other expenses as it tries to turn around its fortunes. Intel, which helped launch Silicon Valley as the U.S. technology hub, has fallen behind rivals like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices while demand for artificial intelligence chips soars. Companies are under pressure to deliver solid growth in profits to justify big gains for their stock prices, which have rallied to record after record in recent weeks. Wall Street has zoomed higher on hopes that President Donald Trump will reach trade deals with other countries that will lower his stiff proposed tariffs, along with the risk that they could cause a recession and drive up inflation. Trump has recently announced deals with Japan and the Philippines, and the next big deadline is looming on Friday, Aug. 1. Apart from trade talks, this week will also feature a meeting by the Federal Reserve on interest rates. Trump again on Thursday lobbied the Fed to cut rates, which he has implied could save the U.S. government money on its debt repayments. Fed Chair Jerome Powell has said he is waiting for more data about how Trump's tariffs affect the economy and inflation before making a move. The widespread expectation on Wall Street is that the Fed will wait until September to resume cutting interest rates. In other dealings early Monday, U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 24 cents to $65.40 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, also added 24 cents to $67.90 per barrel. The dollar rose to 147.72 Japanese yen from 147.71 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1755 from $1.1758.

Malaysia's economy projected to grow 4% to 4.8% this year, central bank says
Malaysia's economy projected to grow 4% to 4.8% this year, central bank says

Reuters

time25 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Malaysia's economy projected to grow 4% to 4.8% this year, central bank says

KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 (Reuters) - Malaysia's economy is projected to expand by 4% to 4.8% in 2025, down from a previous forecast of 4.5% to 5.5%, its central bank said on Monday, warning that trade and tariff uncertainties could affect global growth. Headline inflation is expected to average between 1.5% and 2.3% this year, Bank Negara Malaysia said in a statement. The central bank said the global economic growth outlook was affected by shifting trade policies and uncertainties surrounding tariffs. It said Malaysia's "updated growth projections account for various tariff scenarios, ranging from a continued elevation of tariffs to more favourable trade negotiation outcomes." Although Malaysia's economy remains on a "strong footing", the central bank said its growth projection remains subject to uncertainties surrounding the global economy. Malaysia is facing a 25% tariff on its exports to the United States unless it can reach a deal with Washington by August 1. Malaysia's trade minister said several sticking points remained in the talks with the United States, particularly on non-trade barriers, but discussions were progressing well and were on track to meet the August deadline.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store