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All is calm at Satoshi Yamazaki’s rice farm, with its freshly planted rows of vivid-green seedlings, but a row over the cost of the staple in Japan is threatening to deal the government a blow at the ballot box.Shortages of the grain caused by a supply chain snarl-up have seen prices almost double in a year, fuelling frustration over inflation — and voters could let their anger be known in upper house elections due next month.To help ease the pain for consumers and restaurants, the government started tapping emergency stockpiles in March, having only previously done so during disasters.Yamazaki, who grows about 10 percent of his rice organically using ducks to eat pests, said he understands high prices are “troubling” for ordinary people.But he stressed that thin profits are a concern for many of those who produce it.”There’s a gap between shop prices and what farmers sell rice for to traders and the like,” he told AFP in the northern Niigata region.”Not all the money paid at shops becomes our income,” said Yamazaki, a 42-year-old father of seven.A mosaic of factors lies behind the shortages, including an intensely hot and dry summer two years ago that damaged harvests nationwide. Since then some traders have been hoarding rice in a bid to boost their profits down the line, experts say. The issue was made worse by panic-buying last year prompted by a government warning about a potential “megaquake” that did not strike.- ‘Old’ rice -Meanwhile, the rising price of imported food has boosted the popularity of domestic rice, while record numbers of tourists are also blamed for a spike in consumption.Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi has pledged to cut prices quicker by selling stockpiled rice directly to retailers — attracting long queues to some shops.It appears to be working: the average retail price has edged down for a second week to 4,223 yen ($29) for five kilograms (11 pounds), down from a high of 4,285 yen in May.That hasn’t stopped opposition politicians — with an eye on the elections — and online critics branding the reserve rice “old”, with some likening it to animal feed.But analysts also blame Japan’s decades-old policy of cutting rice-farming land. The policy was introduced to support prices that were being hit by falling demand brought about by changes in the Japanese diet.Under the 1971 policy, farmers were told to reduce the amount of space used to grow the grain in favour of other crops.That saw the amount of land used for rice paddies — not including for livestock feed — plunge below 1.4 million hectares (3.5 million acres) in 2024, from a peak of 3.3 million hectares in 1960.While the policy was officially abolished in 2018, it has continued in a form of incentives pushing farmers towards other commodities like soybeans.Adding to the crisis is Japan’s ageing population. Many rice farmers are old and their children have no interest in taking over.Eighty percent of rice farmers are part-time with less than two hectares of fields but they account for only 20 percent of production, said agronomy expert Kazunuki Oizumi, professor emeritus of Miyagi University.Their main revenue comes from other jobs or pensions, he added.- Agriculture ‘destroyed’ -Toru Wakui, chairman of a large-scale farm in the northern Akita region who has for decades fought against the acreage reduction, said Japan should “seek an increase in rice production and exports to foreign markets”.”If you only think about the domestic market while increasing output, of course prices will fall,” he told AFP. “We need to look for markets abroad.””The 55 years of acreage reduction destroyed Japan’s agriculture,” said Wakui, 76, who urged Koizumi in a letter last month to “declare an expansion in rice production”.He also said Japan should consider a scheme to help young people start agriculture businesses without the burden of initial investment in fields and machinery, by involving other sectors including banks and trading companies.Public support for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s government has tumbled to its lowest level since he took office in October, which local media say was partly caused by the surge in inflation and soaring rice costs.He has told parliament that increasing production is “an option” to temper prices, but said food security and the livelihood of producers was also important.For the farmer Yamazaki, “wanting cheap rice with high quality” is a pipe dream.”We farmers are a little baffled by the limelight that suddenly shifted to us,” he said.”But I think it’s a good opportunity for the public to think about how rice is produced.”

Asian shares were rattled Thursday after Donald Trump said he would impose unilateral tariffs on partners in the next two weeks, reigniting trade war fears soon after reaching a deal with China to dial down tensions between the superpowers.The mood was also shaded by geopolitical concerns after the US president said personnel were being moved from the Middle East as nuclear talks with Iran faltered and fears of a regional conflict grew.The equity losses snapped a recent rally fuelled by talks between Beijing and Washington in London that saw them hammer out a framework agreement to move towards a pact to reduce levies.Investors have been on edge since Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff blitz on April 2 that sent shockwaves through stock and bond markets and stoked global recession fears.Days later he announced a pause in those measures until July 9 to allow for countries to cut deals with the White House, sparking relief rallies that have pushed some markets towards all-time highs.However, he once again shook confidence by saying Wednesday that he intended to send letters telling governments what levies Washington would be imposing.”We’re going to be sending letters out in about a week and a half, two weeks, to countries, telling them what the deal is,” he told reporters.”At a certain point, we’re just going to send letters out. And I think you understand that, saying this is the deal, you can take it or leave it.”While some analysts indicated that previous threats had been rowed back, the comments added to the ongoing uncertainty about Trump’s policies, reviving fears about sky-high levies and the impact on the economy.They also came not long after he had flagged the London agreement, and posted on social media that “President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade”, referring to his counterpart Xi Jinping.”The uncertainty doesn’t help,” Nick Twidale at AT Global Markets Australia said. “And his overall comments overnight have led to more uncertainty for the market rather than the clarity we were hoping for.”Most Asian markets fell on Thursday, with Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta in the red after a broadly healthy run-up this week. There were gains in Sydney, Singapore and Seoul.The weak performance followed losses on Wall Street, where trade worries overshadowed another below-forecast inflation reading that provided fresh speculation the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates.Oil prices slipped but held most of Wednesday’s surge of between four and five percent that came after Trump said US personnel were being moved from the potentially “dangerous” Middle East as Iran nuclear talks stutter.The move came as Tehran threatened to target US military bases in the region if a regional conflict broke out.The US president said the staff were “being moved out because it could be a dangerous place”. “We’ve given notice to move out and we’ll see what happens.”With regard to Iran, he then added: “They can’t have a nuclear weapon, very simple. We’re not going to allow that.” Trump had until recently expressed optimism about the talks, but said in an interview published Wednesday that he was “less confident”.- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.7 percent at 38,149.49 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.7 percent at 24,206.17Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,397.51Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1514 from $1.1489 on WednesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3576 from $1.3545Dollar/yen: DOWN at 144.01 yen from 144.62 yenEuro/pound: UP at 84.81 pence from 84.79 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.5 percent at $67.83 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.5 percent at $69.44 per barrelNew York – Dow: FLAT at 42,865.77 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 8,864.35 (close)

US President Donald Trump touted “excellent” ties with China on Wednesday, saying the superpowers reached a deal after two days of talks aimed at preserving a truce in their damaging trade war.Trump said on his Truth Social platform that China would supply rare earth minerals and magnets — vital elements for US industries — while Washington would allow Chinese students to remain in American universities.His post came after top United States and Chinese negotiators announced a “framework” agreement late Tuesday following two days of marathon talks in London.The agreement would nonetheless see some recent tariffs remain in place between the major trading partners, and details were sparse.”Our deal with China is done,” Trump wrote, but noting it was still “subject to final approval with President Xi (Jinping) and me.””President XI and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade,” he said in a second post.Major US indexes edged up in early trading before closing lower.- ‘Right track’ -After negotiations spanning more than 20 hours, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Wednesday that the talks were “on the right track.””They are going to approve all applications for magnets from United States companies right away,” he told CNBC, on what should happen after Trump and Xi give the green light to the deal.He added that Washington would lift its measures once Beijing acts, and that US tariff levels on China would not change from here.But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, testifying before several congressional committees on Wednesday, warned that a broader deal with China would be a “longer process.”He also noted it was possible to rebalance economic ties with Beijing if China proved a “reliable partner in trade negotiations.”Other nations could see an extension of a pause on higher threatened tariff rates if they were deemed to be “negotiating in good faith,” he said.Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs on most trading partners in April but halted steeper rates on dozens of economies until early July as negotiations are underway.With China, Washington agreed to reduce tit-for-tat, triple-digit tariffs during talks in Geneva last month. But cracks appeared in the detente after Trump accused Beijing of violating the deal.Washington was concerned at slower supplies of rare earths after Beijing in early April began requiring domestic exporters to apply for a license — widely seen as a response to US tariffs.On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that China was putting a six-month limit on rare earth export licenses for US automakers and manufacturers.- ‘Candid’ talks -Rare earths are used in everything from electric vehicles to hard drives, wind turbines and missiles.On Truth Social, Trump said China will supply “full magnets, and any necessary rare earths” up front.Washington has also raised Beijing’s ire by vowing to revoke the visas of Chinese students, a major source of revenue for US universities.On Wednesday, Trump said: “We will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities.”The US president added that the United States applies 55 percent tariffs on Chinese goods. This is a combination of his 30 percent additional levies this year and the rough average of pre-existing duties, a White House official said.He said Beijing charges 10 percent duties on US goods.The rates are the same as those that were previously agreed in the truce, which temporarily brought US tariffs down from 145 percent and those imposed by China from 125 percent.In a Chinese state media readout released Wednesday, Vice Premier He Lifeng, who headed Beijing’s team in London, stressed the need for both sides to strengthen cooperation in future dialogue.Speaking to reporters in London, China International Trade Representative Li Chenggang said: “Our communication has been very professional, rational, in-depth and candid.”burs-lth-bys/des

Wall Street stocks mostly fell Wednesday despite positive movement in the US-China trade conflict, while oil prices rallied on growing tensions between Washington and Tehran.Following two days of talks in London, top US and Chinese negotiators announced a “framework” agreement late Tuesday that included Chinese concessions on rare earth materials along with Washington allowing Chinese students to study at US universities.But stocks fell in what Briefing.com called a “sell the news” response to the announcement, which it also dismissed as short of “groundbreaking.””The two sides agreed to implement what was already agreed upon during a mid-May meeting in Switzerland,” Briefing.com said.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned a broader deal with China would take a “longer process,” saying it was possible to rebalance economic ties with Beijing only if Beijing proved a “reliable partner in trade negotiations.”And for partners “negotiating in good faith,” Bessent told a congressional committee, there could be an extended pause before higher threatened tariff rates take effect in July.The broad-based S&P 500, which rose the last three days, finished down 0.3 percent at 6,022.24.Elsewhere, London edged higher, supported by the government laying out its spending plans. But Paris and Frankfurt couldn’t hold on to early gains and closed modestly lower.Asian stock markets also won a lift on the China-US progress, with Hong Kong among the best performers. “Constructive talks between the US and China have put markets on a firmer footing, as investors hope that the worst of the tariff turbulence may have passed,” said Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor. Meanwhile, data showed little impact of Trump’s tariffs on US consumer prices in May. Some analysts said it was still too early to discern a hit to prices from tariffs.Between April and May, the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.1 percent. Analysts had expected it to continue at the 0.2 rate it rose in April.Following the release of the data, Trump issued a fresh call for the Fed to lower interest rates.Investors have worried that a tariff-driven surge in inflation could hinder the Federal Reserve from lowering interest rates to counter the slowdown in growth.In other markets, oil prices shot up more than four percent as Iran threatened to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out.Amid escalating tensions, a US official said staff levels at the embassy in Iraq were being reduced over security concerns, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations, run by the British navy, advised ships to transit the Gulf with caution.- Key figures at around 2030 GMT -New York – Dow: FLAT at 42,865.77 (close)New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.3 percent at 6,022.24 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 19,615.88 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 8,864.35 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,775.90 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.2 percent at 23,948.90 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 38,421.19 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 24,366.94 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,402.32 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1489 from $1.1425 on TuesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3545 from $1.3500Dollar/yen: DOWN at 144.62 yen from 144.87 yenEuro/pound: UP at 84.79 pence from 84.62 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 4.3 percent at $69.77 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 4.9 percent at $68.15 per barrelburs-jmb/des

Wall Street stocks mostly rose Wednesday as investors welcomed cooler US inflation data and a China-US agreement aimed at lowering trade tensions.After two days of talks between US and Chinese negotiators in London, US President Donald Trump said: “Our deal with China is done”.The United States and China slashed tit-for-tat tariffs after negotiations in Geneva last month, but tensions flared up again after Trump later accused Beijing of violating the pact reached in Switzerland.The positive London talks provided some relief to markets.”Constructive talks between the US and China have put markets on a firmer footing, as investors hope that the worst of the tariff turbulence may have passed,” said Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor. Wall Street’s three main indices were higher in late morning trading in New York.London edged higher, supported by the government laying out its spending plans. But Paris and Frankfurt couldn’t hold on to early gains and closed modestly lower.Asian stock markets also won a lift on the China-US progress, with Hong Kong among the best performers. As well as tariffs, a key issue in the discussions was China’s export of rare earths used in smartphones and electric vehicles, while Beijing was keen to see an easing of restrictions on its access to tech goods.Trump said on his Truth Social platform that China would supply rare earth minerals and magnets — vital elements for US industries.The United States, he added, would allow Chinese students to remain in US universities.Washington has infuriated Beijing by vowing to revoke the visas of Chinese students — a major source of revenue for US universities.China said the trade talks made new progress, and vice premier He Lifeng stressed the need for Beijing and Washington to strengthen cooperation.Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump must approve the framework first.The talks came as World Bank downgraded its 2025 forecast for global economic growth to 2.3 percent — from the 2.7 percent predicted in January — citing trade tensions and policy uncertainty.It also said the US economy would expand 1.4 percent this year, half of its 2024 growth.Meanwhile, data showed little impact of Trump’s tariffs on US consumer prices in May.Between April and May, the consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.1 percent. Analysts had expected it to continue at the 0.2 rate it rose in April.It also rose less than expected in the so-called core reading that excludes volatile food and energy prices.”Risk appetite remained firm after the release of weaker-than-expected US inflation data, which boosted speculation that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates sooner than expected – possibly in September instead of October –- and potentially twice before the year is out,” said City Index and FOREX.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada. Following the release of the data Trump issued a fresh call for the Fed to lower interest rates.Investors have worried that a tariff-driven surge in inflation could hinder the Federal Reserve from lowering interest rates to counter the slowdown in growth. Investors now see a better than even chance the Fed, which has not reduced rates since December, will cut rates in September.The dollar slid against its major rivals.- Key figures at around 1530 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.4 percent at 43,022.73 pointsNew York – S&P 500: UP 0.2 percent at 6,051.44New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 19,762.08London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 8,864.35 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,775.90 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.2 percent at 23,948.90 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 38,421.19 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 24,366.94 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,402.32 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1488 from $1.1426 on TuesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3545 from $1.3501Dollar/yen: DOWN at 144.65 yen from 144.88 yenEuro/pound: UP at 84.82 pence from 84.61 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.6 percent at $67.97 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.9 percent at $66.24 per barrelburs-rl/cw

China is counting on one crucial advantage as it seeks to grind out a deal to ease its high-stakes trade war with the United States — dominance in rare earths.Used in electric vehicles, hard drives, wind turbines and missiles, rare earth elements are essential to the modern economy and national defence.AFP takes a look at how rare earths have become a key sticking point in talks between the US and China.- Mining boom -“The Middle East has oil. China has rare earths,” Deng Xiaoping, the late Chinese leader whose pro-market reforms set the country on its path to becoming an economic powerhouse, said in 1992.Since then, Beijing’s heavy investment in state-owned mining firms and lax environmental regulations compared to other industry players have turned China into the world’s top supplier.The country now accounts for 92 percent of global refined output, according to the International Energy Agency.But the flow of rare earths from China to manufacturers around the world has slowed after Beijing in early April began requiring domestic exporters to apply for a licence — widely seen as a response to US tariffs.Under the new requirements — which industry groups have said are complex and slow-moving — seven key elements and related magnets require Beijing’s approval to be shipped to foreign buyers.- Deep impact -Ensuring access to the vital elements has become a top priority for US officials in talks with Chinese counterparts, with the two sides meeting this week in London.”The rare earth issue has clearly… overpowered the other parts of the trade negotiations because of stoppages at plants in the United States,” said Paul Triolo, a technology expert at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, in an online seminar on Monday.That disruption, which forced US car giant Ford to temporarily halt production of its Explorer SUV, “really got the attention of the White House”, said Triolo.Officials from the two countries said Tuesday that they had agreed on a “framework” for moving forward on trade — with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressing optimism that concerns over access to rare earths “will be resolved” eventually.- Rare earth advantage -The slowing of licence issuance has raised fears that more automakers will be forced to halt production while they await shipments.China’s commerce ministry said over the weekend that as a “responsible major country” it had approved a certain number of export applications, adding that it was willing to strengthen related dialogue with “relevant countries”.But that bottleneck has highlighted Washington’s reliance on Chinese rare earths for producing its defence equipment even as trade and geopolitical tensions deepen.An F-35 fighter jet contains over 900 pounds (more than 400 kilograms) of rare earth elements, noted a recent analysis by Gracelin Baskaran and Meredith Schwartz of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.”Developing mining and processing capabilities requires a long-term effort, meaning the United States will be on the back foot for the foreseeable future,” they wrote.- Playing catch up -The recent export control measures are not the first time China has leveraged its dominance of rare earths supply chains.After a 2010 maritime collision between a Chinese trawler and Japanese coast guard boats in disputed waters, Beijing briefly halted shipments of its rare earths to Tokyo.The episode spurred Japan to invest in alternative sources and improve  stockpiling of the vital elements — with limited success.That is “a good illustration of the difficulty of actually reducing dependence on China”, said Triolo, noting that in the 15 years since the incident, Japan has achieved only “marginal gains”.The Pentagon is trying to catch up, with its “mine-to-magnet” strategy aiming to ensure an all-domestic supply chain for the key components by 2027.The challenge facing Washington to compete with Beijing in rare earths is compounded by sheer luck: China sits on the world’s largest reserves.”Mineable concentrations are less common than for most other mineral commodities, making extraction more costly,” wrote Rico Luman and Ewa Manthey of ING in an analysis published Tuesday.”It is this complex and costly extraction and processing that make rare earths strategically significant,” they wrote.”This gives China a strong negotiating position.”

Stock markets rose Wednesday as investors welcomed a China-US agreement to lower trade tensions that stoked hopes the economic superpowers will eventually reach a broader tariff deal.After two days of closely watched talks in London, the two sides said they had set up a framework to move towards a pact, following negotiations in Geneva last month that saw them slash tit-for-tat levies.The news provided some relief to markets after US President Donald Trump accused Beijing of violating that deal.”Constructive talks between the US and China have put markets on a firmer footing, as investors hope that the worst of the tariff turbulence may have passed,” said Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor. Paris and Frankfurt enjoyed modest gains in midday deals.London edged higher also as investors awaited finer details of the UK government’s latest spending and investment decisions due Wednesday.Asian stock markets won a lift on the China-US progress, with Hong Kong among the best performers. Analysts said investors would be keen to get a closer look of the agreement’s details.”There’s perhaps a little disappointment… that we haven’t yet got a bigger announcement, even though there’s time to hear the full conclusions of the meeting,” said Deutsche Bank economist Jim Reid. As well as tariffs, a key issue in the discussions was China’s export of rare earths used in smartphones and electric vehicles, while Beijing was keen to see an easing of restrictions on its access to tech goods.China said the trade talks made new progress, and vice premier He Lifeng stressed the need for Beijing and Washington to strengthen cooperation.US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he was upbeat that concerns over rare earths “will be resolved” eventually, as the agreement is implemented.Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump must approve the framework first.The talks came as World Bank downgraded its 2025 forecast for global economic growth to 2.3 percent — from the 2.7 percent predicted in January — citing trade tensions and policy uncertainty.It also said the US economy would expand 1.4 percent this year, half of its 2024 growth.In a speech in Beijing, European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde called for a de-escalation in the tariffs standoffs, warning that “coercive trade policies” risked harming supply chains and the global economy.”Once the US reaches an agreement with China, we expect the EU to be next in line,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB, referring to US-EU negotiations to avert steeper tariffs next month.Investors also awaited US inflation data due Wednesday, which analysts expect to reinforce the Federal Reserve’s slower pace of interest rate cuts. The dollar was mixed against main rivals ahead of the release, while oil prices firmed.In company news Wednesday, shares in Zara owner Inditex fell more than three percent in Madrid, after the world’s biggest fashion retailer posted disappointing first quarter sales. – Key figures at around 1040 GMT -London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 8,859.25 pointsParis – CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 7,823.94 Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.2 percent at 24,046.23Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 38,421.19 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 24,366.94 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,402.32 (close)New York – Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 42,866.87 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1438 from $1.1426 on TuesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3495 from $1.3501Dollar/yen: UP at 145.13 yen from 144.88 yenEuro/pound: UP at 84.76 pence from 84.61 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.2 percent at $67.68 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.5 percent at $65.94 per barrel

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka on Wednesday announced a 15 percent increase in the electricity price to shore up revenues for the state-run utility, in line with conditions imposed by an IMF bailout.The Public Utilities Commission said it allowed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to charge the higher rates from Thursday, six months after a controversial reduction that pushed the utility into the red.The government had forced a 20 percent price cut on the CEB in January, despite fears that it would cause the government-owned company to lose money and undermine the national budget.Ensuring cost-recovery and doing away with subsidies is in line with the conditions set by the International Monetary Fund, which granted a four-year, $2.9 billion loan to help salvage Sri Lanka’s economy.The country had declared bankruptcy after defaulting on its $46 billion foreign debt in April 2022, having run out of foreign exchange to finance even the most essential imports, such as food, fuel and medicines.Months of protests over shortages led to the toppling of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2022.His successor, Ranil Wickremesinghe, secured the IMF bailout and proceeded to cut subsidies and raise taxes.Wickremesinghe lost the September election, but his successor, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is pushing ahead with the IMF-backed reforms.Inflation, which peaked at nearly 70 percent in September 2022, has dropped sharply, and the country has been experiencing deflation since September.The IMF says Sri Lanka is slowly emerging from its worst meltdown and that the economy has turned around, although risks remain.

China’s vice premier and top trade negotiator said Beijing was ready to “strengthen cooperation” with Washington, Chinese state media said Wednesday, following trade talks in London it said had made substantial progress.US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick expressed optimism after a full day of negotiations that concerns surrounding rare earth minerals and magnets “will be resolved” eventually, as the deal is implemented.But this framework will first need to be approved by leaders in Washington and Beijing, officials said, at the end of meetings at the British capital’s historic Lancaster House.All eyes were on the outcomes of negotiations as both sides tried to overcome an impasse over export restrictions. US officials earlier accused Beijing of slow-walking approvals for shipments of rare earths.The world’s two biggest economies were also seeking a longer-lasting truce in their escalating tariffs war, with levies currently only temporarily on hold.”We’re moving as quickly as we can,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters Tuesday.”We would very much like to find an agreement that makes sense for both countries,” he added, noting that the relationship was complex.”We feel positive about engaging with the Chinese,” he maintained.Speaking separately to reporters, China International Trade Representative Li Chenggang said: “Our communication has been very professional, rational, in-depth and candid.”Li expressed hope that progress made in London would help to boost trust on both sides.And in a state media readout of the talks released Wednesday, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, who headed Beijing’s team in London, stressed the need for the two sides to strengthen cooperation in future dialogue.”As a next step, the two sides should… continuously enhance consensus, reduce misunderstandings and strengthen cooperation,” He Lifeng said, according to state broadcaster CCTV.- Productive talks -US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier described the closely-watched trade talks as productive, although scheduling conflicts prompted his departure from London with negotiations still ongoing.Bessent, who led the US delegation with Lutnick and Greer, left early to return to Washington for testimony before Congress, a US official told AFP.Both sides do not yet have another gathering scheduled.But Lutnick said Tuesday that US measures imposed when rare earths “were not coming” would likely be relaxed once Beijing moved forward with more licence approvals.Stocks rose Wednesday as investors welcomed the China-US agreement to lower trade tensions, stoking hopes the economic superpowers will eventually reach a broader tariff deal.Hong Kong was among the best performers in Asia while European markets were also up.The London negotiations follow talks in Geneva last month, which saw a temporary agreement to lower tariffs.This time, China’s exports of rare earth minerals — used in a range of things including smartphones, electric vehicle batteries and green technology — were a key issue on the agenda.”In Geneva, we had agreed to lower tariffs on them, and they had agreed to release the magnets and rare earths that we need throughout the economy,” US President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, told CNBC on Monday.Even though Beijing was releasing some supplies, “it was going a lot slower than some companies believed was optimal”, he added.- ‘Mirror arsenal’ -Both countries “have developed almost a mirror arsenal of trade and investment weapons that they can aim at each other,” said Emily Benson, head of strategy at Minerva Technology Futures.As they tap economic tools to try to shift global power structures, she told AFP, it may not be reasonable to expect a typical trade and investment deal.But both sides could find ways to level off a downward spiral.A dialling-down of temperatures could involve Chinese efforts to shore up the process for granting export control licences, Benson said. She noted Beijing appeared understaffed given the volume of requests.On the US side, this could look like a relaxation of certain export curbs in the high-tech domain, she added.But observers remained cautious, with Thomas Mathews of Capital Economics warning that Washington was unlikely to “back off completely.” This could weigh on markets.Since returning to office, Trump has slapped a 10 percent levy on friend and foe, threatening steeper rates on dozens of economies.His tariffs have dented trade, with Beijing data showing Chinese exports to the United States plunged in May.The World Bank on Tuesday joined other international organisations to slash its 2025 global growth forecast amid trade uncertainty.China is also in talks with partners including Japan and South Korea to try to build a united front countering Trump’s tariffs.burs-oho/mtp

Stocks rose Wednesday as investors welcomed a China-US agreement to lower trade tensions that stoked hopes the economic superpowers will eventually reach a broader tariff deal.After two days of high-profile, closely watched talks in London, the two sides said they had set up a framework to move towards a pact, following negotiations in Geneva last month that saw them slash tit-for-tat levies.The news provided some much-needed relief to markets after US President Donald Trump accused Beijing of violating that deal. The latest round of talks followed a phone call between Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday.As well as tariffs, a key issue in the discussions was China’s export of earth minerals and magnets used in a range of things including smartphones and electric vehicle batteries, while Beijing was keen to see an easing of restrictions on its access to tech goods.US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said he was upbeat that concerns over rare earths “will be resolved” eventually, as the agreement is implemented.Xi and Trump must approve the framework first.”We’re moving as quickly as we can,” US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters. “We would very much like to find an agreement that makes sense for both countries,” he added.”We feel positive about engaging with the Chinese.”Speaking separately to reporters, China International Trade Representative Li Chenggang expressed hope that progress made in London would help to boost trust on both sides.The deal, which was reached late Tuesday, boosted Asian markets with Hong Kong among the best performers, while Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Mumbai, Bangkok, Wellington, Taipei and Manila were also up.London, Paris and Frankfurt enjoyed healthy gains in the morning.However, analysts said investors would be keen to get a closer look at the details of the agreement.”The US-China trade circus wrapped with what can only be described as a diplomatic tautology,” said Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management.He called it “a late-night announcement that both sides have ‘agreed in principle on a framework to implement the Geneva consensus’ — a consensus that was… already agreed upon weeks ago”.And he warned that markets could run out of steam if nothing concrete came through.”If the next headline doesn’t come with something tangible, such as cargo ships loaded with rare earths or an actual rollback of tariffs, expect risk assets to start demanding more photo opportunities,” he wrote.”Until then, this rally relies on faith.”And Saxo chief investment strategist Charu Chanana said before the deal was announced that while there was some hope for the talks “the era of easy wins — tariff pauses and minor concessions — is over”.”What’s left are deeper, more entrenched challenges: tech restrictions, rare earth supply chains, student visas, and national security-linked concerns. These are strategic disputes, unlikely to be resolved in a few rounds of meetings.”Still, she did say that “trade uncertainty has clearly faded since the peak chaos of early April”, when Trump unleashed a tariff blitz that hammered worldwide stock and bond markets.Tuesday’s news also overshadowed the World Bank’s slashing of its 2025 forecast for global economic growth to 2.3 percent, from the 2.7 percent predicted in January, citing trade tensions and policy uncertainty.It also said the US economy would expand 1.4 percent this year, half of its 2024 growth.- Key figures at around 0810 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 38,421.19 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 24,366.94 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,402.32 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 8,868.90 Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1423 from $1.1426 on TuesdayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3486 from $1.3501Dollar/yen: UP at 145.12 yen from 144.88 yenEuro/pound: UP 84.70 pence from 84.61 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 percent at $65.12 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.1 percent at $66.94 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 42,866.87 (close)