President Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on imported vehicles and auto parts caused global market disruptions on Thursday.
Stock markets in Europe fell while Wall Street futures pointed lower, with major automakers like Volkswagen, BMW, GM, and Ford seeing significant share price drops.
Investors sought safety in gold, which rose to near-record levels as concerns mounted about the tariffs’ potential impact on global economic growth and inflation. Trump indicated next week’s broader “reciprocal tariffs” might be “lenient.”