Stocks in the U.S. opened higher Tuesday, reversing pre-market losses after a report in the Wall Street Journal signified that American and Chinese negotiators were preparing to delay the next round of tariffs, scheduled to go into effect Sunday. The Journal cited sources close to the matter on both sides of the table.

Dec. 15 is the date that U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports would increase and hit the consumer electronics industry especially hard. Chinese-made products like Bluetooth headphones, smart watches, and other smart devices have been spared, so far, in the 17-month trade war.

Scheduled tariffs have been delayed in the past as the two sides appeared to show progress in reaching a "phase one" deal, though it has yet to materialize. One of the largest impediments to the deal remains China's refusal to commit to buying more agricultural products and farming equipment from the U.S., according to the Journal. American farmers are considered by the White House to be a key bloc of support for President Trump's re-election.

News that the Dec. 15 deadline could be punted came as President Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appear to be on the verge of announcing a separate trade deal, known as UMSCA, which would involve just Mexico and Canada, replacing NAFTA. That deal could be announced as soon as this week ー raising the specter of House Democrats handing the president a major policy victory just as they also prepare to impeach him.

Share:
More In Business
Apple Overtakes Samsung as Top Seller of Smartphones
Dan Ives, Managing Director and Senior Equity Analyst at Wedbush Securities dives deeper into a report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) that Apple has ended Samsung's 12-year reign as the world's largest smartphone seller.
AI is the Big Opportunity and the Risk to Watch at Davos
Artificial intelligence is the biggest buzzword at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. Advances in generative AI stunned the world last year, and the elite crowd is angling to take advantage of its promise and minimize its risks.
A Smarter Smart Phone?
Smartphones could get much smarter this year as the next wave of artificial intelligence seeps into the devices that accompany people almost everywhere they go.
Who Could Be The World's First Trillionaire?
In an annual assessment of global inequalities, Oxfam International said the first trillionaire could emerge within the next decade — as the anti-poverty organization pointed to the growing wealth gap that skyrocketed globally during the pandemic.
Load More