Global shares inch up as Trump eases some tariffs, hints at a break for automobiles

Global benchmarks mostly rose 15 April, Tuesday, echoing a rally on Wall Street after President Donald Trump appeared to let up on some of and as stress from within the US bond market seemed to be easing.

Still, took further steps toward imposing more tariffs, saying it was investigating the national security implications of imports of pharmaceuticals, computer chips and related products.

France's CAC 40 added 0.6 per cent to 7,316.09, while Germany's DAX jumped 1.5 per cent to 21,277.44. Britain's FTSE 100 rose 1.0 per cent to 8,215.51.

The future for the S&P 500 was up 0.3 per cent while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.2 per cent.

In Asian trading, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 0.8 per cent to finish at 34,267.54.

Automobile manufacturers were among the biggest gainers, although their early surge was moderated by closing time. Toyota Motor Corp. jumped 3.7 per cent, while Honda Motor Co. gained 3.6 per cent. Electronics and entertainment giant Sony Corp.'s stock price added 2.2 per cent.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 added 0.2 per cent to 7,761.70 and South Korea's Kospi gained 0.9 per cent to 2,477.41.

Chinese shares wobbled, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng rising 0.2 per cent to 21,466.27 after fluctuating much of the day.

The Shanghai Composite added 0.2 per cent to 3,267.66.

“You know the drill: one step forward, two steps back, then a whiplash pivot into carrot-and-stick diplomacy. It's becoming the signature of this White House — deliver a policy gut punch, then soften the blow with selective reprieves or 90-day pauses. It's market management by whack-a-mole,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management.

On Monday on Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.8 per cent and the Dow rose 0.8 per cent. The Nasdaq climbed 0.6 per cent. Apple and other technology stocks helped to lift the market.

Trump said he was from some of his stiff tariffs, which could ultimately more than double prices for US customers of products coming from China. Automakers also rallied after Trump suggested he may announce .

Trump's tariffs rollout has been full of fits and starts, and he and officials in his administration have said the .

In energy trading, benchmark US crude fell 2 cents to $61.51 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, was down 3 cents to $64.85 a barrel.

The US dollar fell to 142.75 Japanese yen from 143.04 yen. The euro was unchanged at $1.1351.