The USA and China have suspended their mutual tariffs for 90 days – at least partially. Is this the turning point in the trade war?
Share prices around the world eased significantly following the announcement. The share prices of major shipping companies made a visible jump.
After a meeting of delegates in Geneva, US President Trump spoke of a “complete restart” of the talks. The situation between the two countries had recently become increasingly tense, trade was no longer possible due to the exorbitant surcharges and the number of empty container ship voyages increased.
Now the American tariffs on Chinese goods are to fall from 145% to 30%. China is reducing its tariffs from 125% to 10%. According to a joint statement, both sides have agreed to consult intensively on the economy and trade; a so-called “consultative mechanism” is to be set up. What will happen after the 90 days mentioned above is still open at the moment.
Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk share prices on the upswing
However, the reduction in tariffs is a clear signal that the markets are easing. This was directly reflected in the share prices: the share prices of the Hamburg shipping company Hapag-Lloyd rose by around 10% in the morning, and the Danish giant and Gemini partner Maersk also recorded a significant rise in share prices. Although the shipping company had recently presented a strong first quarter, it was cautious in its outlook for 2025 due to the unclear development in the container market.
Rolf Habben-Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, was also cautious: “We have made a good start to the first quarter of 2025, but the market environment is currently characterized by many uncertainties. We therefore continue to expect declining results for the full year 2025,” he said. (JW)
