Trump Tariffs Highlights: Amid trade war with US, China’s first quarter economy grows by 5.4%

Trump Tariffs Highlights: China’s economy grew 5.4% first quarter, beating analyst expectations. Retail sales rose 5.9% and industrial output jumped 7.7%, both ahead of forecasts. Meanwhile, March home prices declined at a slower pace, hinting at gradual stabilisation in the property market.

President Trump signed an executive order instructing the Commerce Department to launch a national security investigation into U.S. imports of critical minerals. The move, under a Section 232 investigation, aims to assess whether reliance on foreign processed critical minerals poses a threat to national security, potentially paving the way for new tariffs.

US stock indexes inched up at Tuesday’s open, as investors weighed potential tariff exemptions for the auto industry following President Donald Trump’s suggestion of further relief.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ticked up 3.0 points, or 0.01%, to 40,527.82. The S&P 500 gained 6.0 points, or 0.11%, to open at 5,411.99, while the Nasdaq Composite added 10.9 points, or 0.06%, to start the day at 16,842.39.

China has accused the US National Security Agency (NSA) of carrying out “advanced” cyberattacks during February’s Asian Winter Games, fueling fresh tensions in the ongoing tech and trade standoff. The allegation surfaces as Washington intensifies investigations into imports of semiconductors, chip-making equipment and pharmaceuticals.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has hinted at a possible temporary exemption for the auto industry from existing levies, sparking optimism across global markets. Asian and European stocks rallied in response, as investors welcomed signs of potential relief amid escalating economic friction between the world’s two largest powers.

Earlier today, China directed its airlines to stop taking deliveries of Boeing Co. aircraft, intensifying the already strained trade relations with the United States. According to a Bloomberg report citing sources, the move is seen as a direct response to US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose steep tariffs of up to 145% on a range of Chinese goods. The order halting Boeing jet deliveries marks a significant blow to the American aerospace giant, for whom China is a major market.

Meanwhile, Trump had said that he will be providing an update soon as to how his administration will approach the semiconductor tariffs. Keep watching this space for more information on Trump tariffs.