U.S. tariffs spark global market turmoil, causing stock selloff and Treasury yield rise as China retaliates with levies.

In Short

New U.S. tariffs have triggered retaliatory actions from China, causing global market instability and significant declines in equities and Treasury yields.

Investor anxiety remains high, with forecasts predicting lower GDP growth and increased risks for asset prices.

Global markets have been shaken as new U.S. tariffs came into effect, prompting retaliatory actions from China and setting up Wall Street for instability.

A significant selloff in U.S. Treasurys was observed, with the yield on the 10-year note reaching 4.44%, having peaked at 4.47%.

Investor sentiment remains tense regarding long-term Treasurys ahead of upcoming government auctions for 10-year and 30-year bonds.

This underlying anxiety has contributed to a global stock market downturn, with Japanese equities declining by 3.9% and major European indices dropping by 4%.

Increased tariffs

The tariffs introduced by the Trump administration apply to nearly 100 nations, including a substantial 104% tariff on Chinese imports. In response, China announced it would increase its tariffs on U.S. imports from 34% to 84%.

Trump defended the tariffs during a dinner with House Republicans, revealing plans for additional levies on pharmaceutical imports soon. Notable drug company shares, including Merck and Pfizer, saw declines in premarket trading.

In the latest market developments, stock futures fell sharply, with Dow and S&P 500 contracts down over 1%. The WSJ Dollar Index also weakened, continuing its downward trend from January.

Deutsche Bank analysts indicated a simultaneous collapse in the value of all U.S. assets, suggesting a move into uncertain economic conditions.