The Japan Times - Trump’s Tariffs Spark Global Fear

Donald Trump’s announcement on 2 April of sweeping tariffs—10 per cent on all imports, 20 per cent on the European Union, and 34 per cent on China—has sent shockwaves through global markets, igniting fears of a new Great Recession. Described by Trump as an “economic liberation” during a White House address, the policy aims to slash the US trade deficit, which stood at $773 billion in 2024. Yet, the fallout has been immediate and severe: Wall Street plummeted 5.97 per cent on 4 April, losing $6 trillion in two days, its worst drop since the pandemic, while the FTSE 100 fell 2.5 per cent.

China retaliated with matching 34 per cent tariffs on US goods, and the EU, led by France and Germany, is poised to target American tech giants in response. The International Monetary Fund has warned of a “major risk” to global growth, with JP Morgan raising the odds of a US recession in 2025 to 60 per cent. Oil prices dropped 10 per cent in a week, and copper fell 6 per cent, reflecting widespread panic over a looming downturn. In the UK, the Treasury fears a £5 billion hit to exports to the US, a critical market. Trump remains defiant, insisting on Truth Social that “America will thrive,” but economists question whether his gamble will save the US or plunge the world into crisis.