Introduction: China’s Xi urges global CEOs to protect trade as Trump tariffs loom
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.
Anxiety over Donald Trump’s plan to announce a barrage of tariffs on trading partners next week is gripping the global economy, and the markets.
China’s president Xi Jinping has gathered a group of top chief executives in Beijing today, where he urged them to protect industrial and supply chains, as the trade war with the US deepens.
The gathering includes AstraZeneca’s boss Pascal Soriot, Bill Winters of Standard Chartered, plus the CEOs of FedEx, Saudi Aramco, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, HSBC and Hitachi.
Xi urged the assembled bigwigs,
“We need to work together to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, which is an important guarantee for the healthy development of the world economy”
Around 40 executives joined the meeting, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Reuters reports.
Xi told them that overseas firms play an important role in China’s economy:
“Foreign enterprises contribute one-third of China’s imports and exports, one-quarter of industrial added value and one-seventh of tax revenue, creating more than 30 million jobs.
And he took a swipe at the trade barriers imposed by other countries in recent years, saying:
“In recent years, foreign investment in China has also been interfered with by geopolitical factors… I often say that blowing out other people’s lights does not make you brighter.”
The meeting comes less than a week before Trump’s “Liberation Day”, when he is expected to announced a wide-ranging slate of reciprocal tariffs. That could disrupt global trade flows, and push up the cost of imports to the US.
Asia-Pacific stock markets have dropped today, with China’s CSI 300 down 0.44% and South Korea’s Kospi losing 2%.
Auto companies contined to be hit by the 25% tariffs announced by Trump on Wednesday, with Hyundai Motors falling another 3.5% today.
Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank, says sentiment remains sour due to intensifying tariff talk.
The carmakers around the world got hammered this week as the ones that produce their cars outside the US will cost 25% more if the levies go live – and nearly half of vehicles sold in the US are reportedly assembled elsewhere – and, the ones that are made in the US have at least 20% of their components coming from outside the US.
Evercore ISI predicts that US car prices will likely increase by $3000-4000 on average.
The agenda
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7am GMT: UK GDP quarterly national accounts, October to December 2024
-
7am GMT: GB retail sales report for February
-
12.30pm GMT: US PCE inflation report for February
-
2pm GMT: University of Michigan’s US consumer confidence report
Key events
WH Smith sells UK high street business for £76m
Newsflash: WH Smith has agreed to sell its UK high street chain to Modella Capital, in a deal that will see the stores rebranded as TGJones.
The deal will allow WH Smith to streamline its operations and create a retailer focused on global travel, via its outlets at railway stations and airports.
The deal values WH Smith’s 480 high-street stores at £76m, with their 5,000 staff transferring to Modella under the deal.
Carl Cowling, chief executive of WH Smith, says the deal is “a pivotal moment” for the company, adding:
“We have a highly successful Travel business, operating in fast growing markets in 32 countries and we are constantly innovating to deliver strong returns and meet our customers’ and partners’ needs. Our Travel business currently accounts for around 75% of the Group’s revenue and 85% of its trading profit. With the ongoing strength in our UK Travel division, and the scale of the growth opportunities in both North America and the Rest of the World, we are in our strongest ever position to deliver enhanced growth as we move forward as a pure play travel retailer.
“As our Travel business has grown, our UK High Street business has become a much smaller part of the WHSmith Group. High Street is a good business; it is profitable and cash generative with an experienced and high-performing management team.
However, given our rapid international growth, now is the right time for a new owner to take the High Street business forward and for the WHSmith leadership team to focus exclusively on our Travel business. I wish the High Street team every success.
Introduction: China’s Xi urges global CEOs to protect trade as Trump tariffs loom
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.
Anxiety over Donald Trump’s plan to announce a barrage of tariffs on trading partners next week is gripping the global economy, and the markets.
China’s president Xi Jinping has gathered a group of top chief executives in Beijing today, where he urged them to protect industrial and supply chains, as the trade war with the US deepens.
The gathering includes AstraZeneca’s boss Pascal Soriot, Bill Winters of Standard Chartered, plus the CEOs of FedEx, Saudi Aramco, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, HSBC and Hitachi.
Xi urged the assembled bigwigs,
“We need to work together to maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, which is an important guarantee for the healthy development of the world economy”
Around 40 executives joined the meeting, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Reuters reports.
Xi told them that overseas firms play an important role in China’s economy:
“Foreign enterprises contribute one-third of China’s imports and exports, one-quarter of industrial added value and one-seventh of tax revenue, creating more than 30 million jobs.
And he took a swipe at the trade barriers imposed by other countries in recent years, saying:
“In recent years, foreign investment in China has also been interfered with by geopolitical factors… I often say that blowing out other people’s lights does not make you brighter.”
The meeting comes less than a week before Trump’s “Liberation Day”, when he is expected to announced a wide-ranging slate of reciprocal tariffs. That could disrupt global trade flows, and push up the cost of imports to the US.
Asia-Pacific stock markets have dropped today, with China’s CSI 300 down 0.44% and South Korea’s Kospi losing 2%.
Auto companies contined to be hit by the 25% tariffs announced by Trump on Wednesday, with Hyundai Motors falling another 3.5% today.
Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank, says sentiment remains sour due to intensifying tariff talk.
The carmakers around the world got hammered this week as the ones that produce their cars outside the US will cost 25% more if the levies go live – and nearly half of vehicles sold in the US are reportedly assembled elsewhere – and, the ones that are made in the US have at least 20% of their components coming from outside the US.
Evercore ISI predicts that US car prices will likely increase by $3000-4000 on average.
The agenda
-
7am GMT: UK GDP quarterly national accounts, October to December 2024
-
7am GMT: GB retail sales report for February
-
12.30pm GMT: US PCE inflation report for February
-
2pm GMT: University of Michigan’s US consumer confidence report
