Reading Time: < 1 minute Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese President Xi Jinping had “positive, constructive interactions” on the sidelines of the G20 summit on Friday as a dispute between the two countries rages, Trudeau’s office said. Trudeau spoke “more than once” to Xi during a meeting of the Group of 20 leading economies […] Read more
Trudeau, China’s Xi had ‘positive’ discussions as dispute rages
Mexico becomes first country to ratify USMCA deal
Reading Time: 2 minutes Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico on Wednesday became the first country to ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) agreed late last year to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) at the behest of U.S. President Donald Trump. By a vote of 114 in favour to four against, Mexico’s Senate backed the trade […] Read more
Trump simplifies reviews of genetically modified farm products
Reading Time: 2 minutes Council Bluffs | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday directing federal agencies to streamline the review process for agricultural biotechnology including genetically modified livestock and seeds. Trump signed the order during a visit to an ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The executive order, he said, would “speed up […] Read more
U.S. refiner group sues Trump EPA over E15 gasoline
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — The main U.S. refining industry association said on Monday it sued to block the Trump administration’s effort to expand sales of higher ethanol blends of gasoline, arguing the move exceeded the administration’s authority. The legal challenge from the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) association escalated a battle between the oil and corn […] Read more
Trump calls off tariffs after Mexico vows to tighten borders
Reading Time: 4 minutes Washington/Mexico City | Reuters — The United States and Mexico struck a deal on Friday to avert a tariff war, with Mexico agreeing to rapidly expand a controversial asylum program and deploy security forces to stem the flow of illegal Central American migrants. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to impose five per cent import […] Read more
Trump tariffs could cost an extra nickel per burrito, says Chipotle
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — Chipotle Mexican Grill on Monday estimated a US$15 million hit from President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Mexican imports, and said it could cover that by raising burrito prices by around five cents. The U.S.-based Mexican-themed chain’s finance chief Jack Hartung said its margins would be reduced by 20-30 basis points if the […] Read more
U.S. grains: CBOT wheat rallies on weather
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rallied on Monday on concerns about harvest risks as more heavy rain was forecast in some U.S. grain belts and warm, dry weather was expected in top wheat exporter Russia. Meanwhile, corn and soybean futures traded choppily as the markets digested a threat of U.S. tariffs against Mexico, […] Read more
Mexico, Canada plow ahead on trade pact ratification despite Trump threats
Reading Time: 2 minutes Mexico City/Ottawa | Reuters — Mexico and Canada said on Friday they would proceed with plans to ratify a new continental trade pact despite a new threat from U.S. President Donald Trump that critics say could undermine chances of the treaty coming into force. Trump, whose administration has made passing the United States-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) free […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hog, cattle futures fall after Trump opens new front in trade war
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange cattle and hog futures fell on Friday, pressured by fears that Mexico, a key importer of both U.S. beef and pork, will retaliate against President Donald Trump’s proposal to impose tariffs on imports from Mexico. The fresh trade concerns, coming at a time when U.S. supplies of both […] Read more
Trump lifts curbs on E15 gasoline
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — The Trump administration on Friday lifted restrictions on the sale of higher ethanol blends of gasoline, keeping a campaign promise to farmers suffering from the trade war with China but inviting a legal challenge from the oil industry. The announcement allows gasoline stations to sell blends containing up to 15 per […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
