Customs (Tariff)

• Trump Credits ‘Mister Tariff’ for the Country’s Strength. Economists Beg to Differ. - Many indicators appear to suggest that the United States is growing despite tariffs, not because of them.
• China’s Trade Surplus Surged 20 Percent to New Highs - A currency kept weak to help Chinese factories, combined with faltering consumer spending, propelled exports, while a campaign for self-sufficiency limited imports.
• Trump Administration Nears Trade Deal With Taiwan - The deal would cut tariffs and include a commitment from Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, the island’s chip giant, to build more manufacturing plants in the United States.
• Trump Shakes up Latin American Politics - The U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro has divided the region. But every nation wants to avoid being next.
• Volkswagen Suffers More Than Rivals From Auto Industry Woes - The German automaker’s sales in the United States plunged last year, hit by tariffs and the end of tax credits for electric vehicles.
• U.S. Trade Deficit Fell to Lowest Level Since 2009 in October, Data Show - The monthly trade deficit continued to shrink after President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on foreign imports.
• China Touts Hainan, Its Duty-Free Island, Amid $1 Trillion Trade Surplus - Policies meant to lure importers to Hainan, a resort island off China’s coast, signal an opening up, Beijing says. One expert calls it a “bait and switch.”
• Will the A.I. Boom Continue to Drive Up Stocks in 2026? - The boom in artificial intelligence was the biggest driver of gains in the stock market. That could pose a risk in 2026.
• U.S. Economic Growth Surged in Third Quarter of 2025 - Gross domestic product grew at a 4.3 percent annual rate, faster than the previous three months.
• Trump Announces Pricing Deals With Nine Drugmakers - The companies agreed to sell most of their drugs to Medicaid at the prices they charge in European countries and to sell drugs directly to consumers through a planned TrumpRx website.