President Donald Trump’s “America First” trade policy have left the United States embroiled in a bitter trade war with China and tit-for-tat import tariffs with other trading partners, including the European Union, Canada and Mexico.
Washington last week slapped tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods, with Beijing retaliating with duties on $60 billion worth of U.S. products. The U.S. and China had already imposed tariffs on $50 billion worth of each other’s goods.
While data have suggested little impact on the economy so far from the tariffs, analysts warn that the import duties could disrupt supply chains, undercut business investment and slow the economy’s momentum. The economy grew at a 4.2 percent annualized rate in the second quarter, almost double the 2.2 percent in the January-March period.
The ISM’s new orders sub-index fell to a reading of 61.8 last month from 65.1 in August. A measure of export orders, however, rose last month. The survey’s employment measure rose to 58.8, the highest reading since February from 58.5 in August. U.S. financial markets were little moved by the data.
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