Trump Shakes Global Markets Again

Trump Shakes Global Markets Again

 From Samsung to Walmart... Trump Shakes Global Markets Again

US President Donald Trump's tariffs have shaken markets again, prompting major US companies to raise prices. Meanwhile, the threat is expanding to include tech giants from Apple to Samsung, amid growing pressure to bring manufacturing back to the US.

Meanwhile, markets are reacting to these developments with a significant rise in gold prices, while oil pared its weekly losses ahead of a US holiday. US stocks were not spared from pressure, ending a turbulent week with collective losses amid heightened concerns about financial stability and the federal debt.

Retailers Prepare for a Wave of Inflation

Major US companies, including Walmart, Ford, and Best Buy, have announced their intention to raise product prices soon, warning that the new tariffs—which reach 30 percent on Chinese imports and 10 percent on most other goods—will be borne entirely by US consumers, not foreign suppliers or factories, as Trump promotes.

Samsung after Apple... Trump threatens major manufacturers

Trump threatened to extend tariffs to include the Korean company Samsung, along with Apple, at 25 percent on foreign-made devices, saying that "it has to be fair for everyone to be fair," in an attempt to force tech companies to bring manufacturing back to the US.

Niger expels dozens of Chinese workers from the oil sector

In a sudden diplomatic escalation, Niger has ordered dozens of Chinese workers to leave its oil projects, accusing the China National Petroleum Corporation of failing to comply with local laws. This threatens to disrupt vital investments in a country suffering from rising political tensions.

Elon Musk withdraws from politics and returns to "sleeping in factories"

Following a new outage at the X platform, Elon Musk announced that he will return to fully focus on managing his projects, stressing that he will devote himself to developing the operational infrastructure of his platform and his projects in artificial intelligence and spacecraft, after a period spent supporting efforts to reduce US government spending.

Gold Shines as Global Concerns Escalate

Gold prices rose sharply on Friday, supported by escalating trade tensions and investor concerns about the impact of tariffs on the global economy. June gold futures rose 2.14 percent, or $70.8, to $3,365.80 an ounce, posting a weekly gain of 5.6 percent, their best weekly performance in more than a month. These gains come as investors turn to the precious metal as a safe haven in the face of geopolitical and financial uncertainty, at a time when markets are suffering from interest rate and sovereign debt pressures.

Oil Rises on Hedging, But Concern Remains

Oil prices saw a slight rise driven by hedging. Brent crude futures for July 2025 delivery rose 0.54 percent to $64.78 a barrel, while US crude futures rose by a similar amount to $61.53. Despite this rise, both crude oil prices posted weekly losses of nearly 1 percent, amid growing concerns about slowing global demand, particularly from China, and conflicting expectations regarding the future of monetary policy in the United States and Europe