European Stock Markets Expected to Rise as Trump Revives Trade Offensive

According to early indications, the CAC 40 in Paris could rise by 0.51% at the opening. Futures contracts suggest an increase of 0.38% for the DAX in Frankfurt, 0.21% for the FTSE in London, and 0.42% for the Stoxx 600. As investors began to forget the disruptions caused earlier this year by the White House's trade policy, the specter of tariffs has returned to the forefront. On Thursday, Donald Trump announced a range of new punitive taxes, stating that the United States would implement 100% tariffs on imported patented medicines, 25% on heavy trucks, and 50% on kitchen cabinets and sinks starting next week. The 100% tariffs on patented or branded pharmaceuticals will apply to all imports unless the distributing company begins constructing a factory in the United States, according to the White House chief. Additionally, a 30% tariff will be imposed on imported upholstered furniture, as announced by the American president via his Truth Social network, specifying that all these measures will take effect on October 1. Bilateral trade agreements with Japan, the European Union, and Great Britain include caps on the tax percentage for certain sectors, suggesting that the new tariffs will not exceed the agreed thresholds.