Tariffs in the USA weigh on Volkswagen
A report in the "Wall Street Journal" shows that Volkswagen has $VOW3 (-0,77%) has temporarily halted deliveries of vehicles from its Mexican plant in Puebla. These vehicles, which are transported to the USA by rail, are now on hold. Ship imports from Europe will also have to wait, as the cars are being held back in the ports until the customs situation eases. Fortunately, vehicles that arrived in the USA before the tariffs came into force will be spared the new charges. Volkswagen plans to draw attention to the new car tariffs in its US car dealerships. The price tags will refer to a possible "import surcharge" that could apply to vehicles affected by the 25 percent tariff. Details on the amount of the surcharge and when it will come into force are not yet known. However, the uncertainty surrounding the tariffs is causing anxious faces among buyers and could affect sales.
Gold price rises to record high, dollar under pressure
The uncertainty surrounding the new tariffs has caused movement on the financial markets. Investors are looking for security and this has led to an increase in demand for gold. The price of gold reached a record high, showing that many investors are turning to tried and tested assets as a hedge. The prices of government bonds, such as those of Germany, are also on the rise. The euro continued to gain against the dollar, rising to almost 1.10 US dollars. In contrast, the dollar index lost 0.8% at its peak and fell to 102.9840 points - its lowest level since mid-October 2024. But it is not just the dollar that is coming under pressure, commodity prices are too. North Sea Brent crude oil and US light oil WTI fell by around 2.5 per cent each. In addition, prices for industrial metals such as tin, aluminum, copper and nickel fell by up to three percent. Commodity strategist Vivek Dhar from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia makes it clear that demand for oil is particularly dependent on the emerging markets, where some of the tariffs are particularly high. Developments on the markets show how strongly geopolitical factors influence the economy.
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