AFP Asia Business

Trump announces steep new tariffs, EU claims pharmaceutical immunity

US President Donald Trump’s announcement of steep new tariffs on medicines and other goods drew pushback from some allies on Friday, with the EU claiming immunity for its pharmaceutical industry under an earlier trade deal.The announcement late on Thursday evening, which included a 100 percent levy on pharmaceuticals, is the harshest trade policy by the …

Trump announces steep new tariffs, EU claims pharmaceutical immunity Read More »

Heavy hand: Free-market US tested as Trump takes stakes in private companies

The Trump administration is in talks to take an equity stake in Lithium Americas, which would insert the government into another private enterprise in the latest challenge to American free-market traditions.The move comes on the heels of Trump announcements establishing government holdings in struggling semiconductor giant Intel and the rare earth company MP Materials. Trump …

Heavy hand: Free-market US tested as Trump takes stakes in private companies Read More »

Strong US data boosts dollar as Wall Street stocks fall again

Wall Street stocks retreated while the dollar rallied Thursday following stronger than expected US economic data that could delay Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.The US government revised its second-quarter economic growth rate upwards on Thursday to 3.8 percent from 3.3 percent, as consumers spent more than expected.It marks the fastest quarterly growth rate in nearly …

Strong US data boosts dollar as Wall Street stocks fall again Read More »

Trade talks ‘advancing well’, EU tells southeast Asian countries

Talks on free trade deals between the European Union and Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines were “advancing very well”, the EU trade commissioner said on Thursday as the bloc sought to cement commercial ties in Southeast Asia.Maros Sefcovic’s comments came two days after the EU signed a trade deal with Indonesia, the region’s largest economy, …

Trade talks ‘advancing well’, EU tells southeast Asian countries Read More »

Toyota opens high-tech village in Japan to road test the future

Top-selling carmaker Toyota opened its new high-tech village in Japan on Thursday, an experimental project to test autonomous driving and other futuristic developments.It is touted as a real-life setting in which to trial myriad inventions, from flying taxis to robot pets and drones that escort you home at night.Around 360 Toyota staff and others related …

Toyota opens high-tech village in Japan to road test the future Read More »

Nickel mining threatens Indonesia coral haven, NGOs warn

Nickel mining threatens one of the world’s most important marine biodiversity and coral hotspots in Indonesia, despite the government revoking several permits, a report warned Thursday.Analysis of recent and historic mining in the region showed a “domino effect of destruction,” ranging from deforestation on land to sediment run-off smothering coral reefs, the report by NGOs …

Nickel mining threatens Indonesia coral haven, NGOs warn Read More »