Saturday, September 19
As global economies navigate an increasingly protectionist and politically volatile era, the importance of sound, mutually beneficial trade agreements cannot be overstated. The recently concluded India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is set to be signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UK on Thursday, serves as a timely reminder that effective trade negotiations are less about deadlines and more about balancing long-term strategic interests. For the Trump administration, currently engaged in protracted trade talks with India, this deal offers critical lessons in both diplomacy and economic statecraft.The India-UK FTA was not born out of a rushed timeline or coercive economic pressure, but out of patient diplomacy and mutual respect for each other’s red lines. The n
European shares rose on Wednesday, led by automobiles, after U.S. President Donald Trump revived hopes for a trade deal with the EU following an agreement with Japan. The pan-European STOXX 600 index gained nearly 1% to 549.6 points, as of 0715 GMT, following three straight days of declines. Britain's blue-chip FTSE 100 rose for a fifth session to a record high. Other regional indexes also traded higher with France's CAC 40 leading the pack with a 1.3% jump. European automobile stocks led the broad-based rally with a 3.4% rise, tracking strength in Asian rivals. Porsche and Mercedes-Benz gained 7.6% and 5.8%, respectively. Trump struck a trade deal with Japan that lowers tariffs on auto imports and spares Tokyo from punishing new levies on other goods in exchange for a $550 billion package
Japanese automakers led a surge in the Nikkei share average to a one-year peak on Wednesday, after Tokyo reached a trade deal with Washington, ending a months-long stalemate. Under the agreement, Japanese exports to the United States face a 15% levy, down from a threatened tariff of 25%. Specific duties on autos, which account for more than a quarter of Japan's U.S. exports, also fell to 15% from 25%. The Nikkei rallied 3.5% to end the day at 41,171.32, its highest close since July last year. The Tokyo Stock Exchange's transport equipment index soared nearly 11%, with Toyota Motor surging more than 14%. The clarity on tariffs bolstered the case for the Bank of Japan to resume raising interest rates, lifting short-term Japanese government bond yields. Longer-term JGB yields also climbed, wi
