WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff delay provides some hope to major trade partners Japan, South Korea and the European Union (EU) that deals to ease duties could still be reached, while bewildering some smaller exporters such as South Africa and leaving companies with no clarity on the path forward.
Trump’s form letters to 14 countries informing them of planned tariff rates of 25% to 40% provided what he called a final warning on his “reciprocal” tariffs, while pushing back a previous deadline to Aug 1, a date he said on Tuesday was final, declaring: “No extensions will be granted.”
