South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Bloomberg news agency reported that President Trump to delay the decision on auto tariffs for six months so, which has somewhat helped the U.S. benchmark stock index s&P500 recover some of the lost ground. The index is up more than 13 percent in 2019 but due to trade tensions, the index has shed more than 2 percent.
The decision on auto-tariff was due this week, so, why the delay:
- President was expecting to seal a trade agreement with China before the decision auto-tariffs, but that won’t be the case with China wanting to renegotiate the agreement once more and with both sides resorting to tariff war. At this time, another round of tariff war largely with Germany and Japan would not be that wise.
- Moreover, the United States is already in negotiation with the European Union over several geopolitical issues such as Iran, and Israel-Palestinian peace agreement. Imposing auto tariffs at this time doesn’t help those negotiations.
- Moreover, the EU is currently negotiating a trade agreement with Japan. The report suggests that the U.S. wants to wait out these negotiations.
We don’t expect global auto tariffs from the United States until the showdown with China ends.
