Donald Trump was on a videoconference.
AFP
American President Donald Trump invited the bosses gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos to come “produce in America” or, otherwise “you will have to pay customs duties” to sell in the United States. “My message to all businesses around the world is simple: Come make your products in America and you will benefit from some of the lowest taxes in the world. But if you don’t produce them in the United States, which is your right, then, quite simply, you will have to pay customs duties,” Mr. Trump said in an online speech.
The American president repeated Monday, during his return to the White House, his intention to impose customs duties against some of the main trading partners of the United States, China, but also Canada and Mexico, although theoretically protected by the free trade treaty between the three North American countries (USMCA).
He also wants to extend the tax cuts granted during his first mandate, which must expire in 2027, and amplify them, counting on customs duties to compensate for the reductions in tax revenue.
“I will ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower the cost of oil”
During his speech, Donald Trump also called on Saudi Arabia and OPEC countries to “lower the cost of oil,” saying this should have been done sooner and would have helped end the war in Ukraine. “I’m going to ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower the cost of oil, and I’m frankly surprised that they didn’t do it before the election. Not doing so wasn’t really a sign of love. If the price was lower, the war in Ukraine would be over immediately,” he insisted.
The American president’s comments weighed on barrel prices, which fell into the red after starting the day on the rise.
-Around 5:45 p.m., the price of a barrel of Brent from the North Sea, for delivery in March, lost 0.91% to $78.30. Its American equivalent, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate, for delivery the same month, dropped 1.07% to $74.65.
Interest rate
Donald Trump also increased pressure on the president of the American Federal Reserve (Fed), judging that interest rates must fall “immediately”. “With oil prices set to fall, I demand that interest rates fall immediately and, similarly, they should fall all over the world. Interest rates should follow us everywhere,” Mr. Trump insisted.
The next meeting of the Fed Monetary Policy Committee (FOMC) is scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday and should conclude with rates remaining at their current level, as inflation picks up again at the end of 2024 and that the labor market, the Fed’s other priority, remains very solid. After falling one percentage point since September, Fed rates are in a range between 4.25% and 4.50%.
“Gender transition operations, which had become very fashionable, will become very rare”
The Republican took the opportunity to point out that the United States now only recognizes two genders, ensuring that such a decision would reduce the number of gender transition surgeries.
“I have made it official, it is official policy of the United States, that there are only two genders, male and female, and no male shall be permitted to participate in women’s sports competitions and operations. gender transition, which had become very fashionable, will become very rare,” he said.
(afp)
