Global

  U.S. Federal Reserve Sees Early Signs That Tariffs Are Impacting Consumer Prices The U.S. Federal Reserve has acknowledged for the first time that recent tariffs imposed on imports are beginning to influence consumer prices, marking a key development in the ongoing debate over trade policy and inflation management. According to the Federal Reserve’s latest economic update, while the full impact of the tariffs is still evolving, early indicators suggest that prices for specific consumer goods — particularly household appliances and electronics — are beginning to reflect upward pressure. This comes after months of uncertainty surrounding the inflationary effects of new trade barriers introduced in response to global geopolitical tensions and efforts to boost domestic manufacturing. The report noted that although broader inflation remains within the Fed's target range of 2%, certain sectors have shown “modest but noticeable price increases,” attributed directly to the increased c...

Global Markets Rattled After Israel–Iran Conflict Escalates, Oil Prices Surge 10% Global financial markets, which had seen modest gains earlier this week on the back of encouraging progress in U.S.–China trade negotiations and signs of cooling inflation , were sharply disrupted following a sudden escalation in Middle East tensions. The situation intensified after Israel launched a strike on Iran , triggering a wave of risk-off sentiment across global markets. In immediate reaction, oil prices surged by nearly 10% , with Brent crude reaching its highest intraday level in months. The spike in energy prices has reignited concerns over stagflation , especially as inflation remains a key concern in many developed economies. Global equity indices, which had been buoyed by optimism around reduced trade barriers and improving U.S. consumer confidence, fell sharply , with sectors like aviation, logistics, and energy-intensive industries leading the decline. Analysts warn that if tensions pers...

  Tesla’s stock price took a sharp hit this week as tensions between Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former U.S. President Donald Trump erupted into a very public feud. The clash, which first surfaced on social media and was quickly amplified by global news outlets, has raised investor fears over potential political risks for the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer. According to market data, Tesla shares slid by more than 7% in intraday trading, erasing billions from the company’s market capitalization. Analysts say that investors are concerned the fallout could affect Tesla’s standing with U.S. regulatory bodies and the future of federal EV incentives — particularly if Trump regains political power in the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election. What Sparked the Feud? The dispute began earlier this week when Trump criticized Musk in a public interview, questioning Tesla’s reliance on government subsidies and mocking Musk’s ambitions around artificial intelligence and space exploratio...

 Source: Al Jazeera Federal Appeals Court Temporarily Reinstates Trump’s Tariffs After Lower Court Block Washington, D.C.  – In a significant development in President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade agenda, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has temporarily reinstated a series of sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. This decision comes just a day after the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled that the tariffs, enacted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), exceeded the president’s authority and ordered their immediate suspension. The appeals court’s administrative stay, issued on Thursday, May 29, 2025, allows the tariffs to remain in effect while legal proceedings continue, providing a temporary reprieve for the administration’s controversial trade policy. Background of the Tariff Dispute On April 2, 2025, dubbed “Liberation Day” by the White House, President Trump announced a 10% tariff on imports from nearly all U.S. t...

Source: NBC10Philadelphia  Trump Proposes 50% Tariff on European Union Imports Starting June 1, 2025 Introduction President Donald Trump announced a recommendation for a 50% tariff on all European Union imports, effective June 1, 2025. The proposal, shared via Truth Social, cites stalled trade negotiations and accuses the EU of exploiting the U.S. economically. This move has sparked significant market reactions and raised concerns about a potential trade war. Background Trump’s announcement follows frustrations with EU trade policies, particularly around agricultural subsidies and digital taxes. He stated, “The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on TRADE, has been very difficult to deal with.” The tariff would exempt products manufactured in the U.S., aligning with Trump’s “America First” agenda. Economic Implications The proposal led to immediate market turmoil, with U.S. stock futures declining and European markets dr...

Tencent Bets on 1.4 Billion-User WeChat Empire to Get Ahead in China’s AI Race In China’s escalating artificial intelligence (AI) arms race, tech giant Tencent is placing a bold bet on its most valuable digital asset — WeChat. With over 1.4 billion users, WeChat, often dubbed China’s “everything app,” has become the centerpiece of Tencent’s strategy to dominate the country’s AI landscape. From messaging and payments to e-commerce and public services, WeChat’s immense data ecosystem is now being harnessed to fuel the next generation of AI tools and applications. Tencent recently unveiled a series of AI-powered upgrades to WeChat, including smart customer service bots, AI-generated content features, and personalized digital assistants. These enhancements, backed by Tencent’s proprietary large language model “Hunyuan,” are aimed at embedding AI more deeply into the daily habits of China’s digital population. “WeChat is not just a social app — it’s an infrastructure,” said Tencent Presiden...