Trump Tariffs Paused, But Economies Still on Edge

Overview

It’s been a wild few weeks in trade and markets. After unleashing reciprocal tariffs on the world, US President Donald Trump then walked them back, pausing the additional levies for every nation except China. Some exemptions were also carved out, including for iPhones. Negotiations have since ramped up with countries including Vietnam, which hope to scale down or remove the threat of tariffs altogether.

Asia is perhaps the hardest hit region, given the scope of tariffs on China and how dependent the region is on trade. Economic growth, company profits and labor markets will take a hit – even without the tariffs in place, uncertainty alone is curbing investment. But there is a longer-term silver lining: the protectionist policies have pushed officials to consider a world in which they rely less on the US and more on domestic growth drivers.

HSBC chief Asia economist Frederic Neumann sits down with Katia Dmitrieva to discuss tariffs, the countries that may be hit hardest and what this new world of trade looks like.