18-08-2025

Global Economic Challenges and Trade Tensions Rise

Date: 18-08-2025
Sources: economist.com: 3
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Source: economist.com

Image content: The image depicts a pet food aisle in a store, with a man browsing the shelves. The shelves are stocked with various pet food products, including canned and packaged items, and a red sign advertising 2,500 points and $5 back in savings is visible. The man is carrying a yellow shopping bag with a red logo.

Summary

The global economy is facing multiple challenges, including persistent inflation in some rich countries, particularly Anglophone nations, and the impact of trade policies such as Trump's tariffs on global trade and manufacturing decisions. The Economist's finance and economics section highlights various issues, including the financial health of Ivy League universities, the valuation of Palantir, and the effects of America's housing market slowdown.

Key Points

  • Trump's tariffs have narrowed the tariff gap between China and other countries, potentially making China a more competitive location for manufacturing.
  • Some rich countries, particularly Anglophone nations, continue to struggle with higher inflation rates despite the overall decline in inflation rates across the OECD.
  • The global economy is facing multiple challenges, including geopolitical tensions and their potential consequences on global trade.

Articles in this Cluster

Finance & economics | Latest news and analysis from The Economist

The Economist's finance and economics section features various articles discussing global economic issues, including inflation in America, the impact of Trump's tariffs, and the financial health of Ivy League universities. Other topics include the economic insights from art, the valuation of Palantir, and the effects of America's housing market slowdown. The section also touches on the economic strategies of authoritarian regimes and the potential consequences of geopolitical tensions on global trade.
Entities: America, The Economist, Trump, China, Ivy LeagueTone: analyticalSentiment: neutralIntent: inform

Where will win from Trump’s tariffs?

The article discusses the impact of President Donald Trump's latest tariffs on global trade, particularly on manufacturers considering where to build new factories. Trump's tariffs, which took effect on August 7th, 2025, have altered the 'China plus one' strategy, where companies diversify their manufacturing locations to mitigate risks associated with relying solely on China. The new tariffs have unexpectedly narrowed the tariff gap between China and other countries, potentially making China a more competitive location for manufacturing. Additionally, Trump's promise to clamp down on 'transshipment' or 'tariff-hopping' could further affect global supply chains and manufacturing decisions.
Entities: Donald Trump, China, America, The Economist, AsiaTone: analyticalSentiment: neutralIntent: inform

Why America can’t shake off inflation

The article discusses the persistent inflation problem in some rich countries, particularly in Anglophone nations, despite the overall decline in inflation rates across the OECD since 2022. The author uses the Yiddish phrase 'farshlepteh krenk' to describe this lingering issue, suggesting that some countries are experiencing a stubborn inflation that refuses to subside. The article highlights that while average inflation across the OECD has decreased to around 2.5% in June, many Anglophone countries continue to struggle with higher inflation rates. The piece touches on various economic factors and comparisons with other regions, but its primary focus remains on the inflation conundrum faced by these countries.
Entities: OECD, Anglophone countries, Yiddish, Kandinsky, MonetTone: analyticalSentiment: neutralIntent: inform