In starting a process to impose reciprocal tariffs on American trading partners, the White House is sowing uncertainty and risking inflation.

Hoping to head off a potential trade conflict, a top European Union official stressed the importance of active engagement and fairness in trade during a four-hour meeting with Trump administration

An index of global shares was lower on Wednesday, pressured by choppy trading on Wall Street and a dip in European stocks, as U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff threats on auto, semiconductor and pharmaceutical imports injected a sense of caution into the markets.