Trump's tariff tantrums: A looming threat that remains underestimated

As Mr Trump takes a wrecking ball to global trade linkages, the impact will be devastating

American President Donald Trump was known to be unpredictable. But what he has unleashed since he became President has shocked even hardened policymakers, businessmen, traders, investors, politicians, and bureaucrats. And he has 46 months still to go. I have been anticipating this for a while. Last October and early November, I wrote three articles pointing to a clear economic slowdown in India, which also indicated a weaker stock market. A fourth article in mid-November was titled “More dark clouds gather”. Mr Trump had just won the election, and I pointed out: “It would be suicidal to assume that his promised