Reading Time: 3 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing the threat of a trade war from U.S. President Donald Trump, has unanimous domestic support for now but to keep a firm hold on power must wring concessions from an unwilling powerful dairy lobby in order to mollify Washington. Trudeau, who over the last year […] Read more
Trudeau safe for now as Trump attacks, but angry farmers loom
Trump’s tweets spew ire on Trudeau, EU, NATO
Reading Time: 4 minutes Singapore | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump fired off a volley of tweets on Monday venting anger on NATO allies, the European Union and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the wake of a divisive G7 meeting over the weekend. The escalating clash over trade between Washington and some of its closest global partners […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola braces for turbulence
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — The ICE Futures Canada canola market could go on a choppy ride this summer as weather challenges and the topsy-turvy world of international trade battles threaten to fill the next few months with volatility. “Particularly in the summer months, Trump issues and weather issues will be the primary drivers; both are hard […] Read more
U.S. biofuels deal reported to be delayed indefinitely
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — The Trump administration has indefinitely delayed a proposed overhaul of U.S. biofuels policy aimed at reducing costs for the oil industry, under pressure from corn state lawmakers who worry the move would undermine demand for ethanol, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The White House had been poised to announce reforms […] Read more
Mexico hits back on U.S. steel, slaps tariffs on pork, bourbon
Reading Time: 2 minutes Mexico City | Reuters — Mexico responded in kind to U.S. President Donald Trump’s metals tariffs by imposing its own duties on U.S. steel on Tuesday, while also targeting politically sensitive agricultural products from pork to bourbon. Mexico’s peso tumbled to its weakest level since February 2017, leading losses among major currencies due to the […] Read more
With maple syrup tariff, Canada-U.S. trade dispute spills beyond metals
Reading Time: 2 minutes Toronto | Reuters — Canada’s retaliation against U.S. President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs includes proposed duties on U.S. maple syrup, a nod to a national symbol and a powerful industry in Quebec that could hurt producers in Maine. While small in dollar value, the tariff shows how Canada’s retaliation has turned a dispute […] Read more
Canada to U.S.: Explain that farm spending war chest
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago/Geneva | Reuters — Canada wants the United States to explain why its lawmakers have made an additional $30 billion available to support U.S. farmers hit by trade woes, and how Washington might distribute the money, according to a document published by the World Trade Organization on Thursday. The questions come amid growing trade tensions […] Read more
China signals to state giants: ‘Buy American’ oil and grains
Reading Time: 3 minutes Singapore/Beijing | Reuters –– China will import record volumes of U.S. oil and is likely to ship more U.S. soy after Beijing signalled to state-run refiners and grains purchasers they should buy more to help ease tensions between the two top economies, trade sources said on Wednesday. China pledged at the weekend to increase imports […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans surge on U.S.-China trade truce
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures jumped more than two per cent on Monday after Washington and Beijing agreed to drop tariff threats, easing fears that demand for U.S. shipments to top importer China could slow. Corn prices were little changed, while wheat dropped on crop-boosting rains in the U.S. Plains wheat belt and […] Read more
China agrees to import more ag commodities, fuels from U.S.
Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — China has agreed to significantly increase its purchases of U.S. goods and services, the two countries said Saturday, but made no mention of a US$200 billion target the White House had touted earlier. Beijing and Washington agreed they would keep talking about measures under which China would import more energy and […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
