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Trump to Outline Trade Policy, Delays Immediate Tariffs

After all that tough tariff talk, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly expected to sign a sweeping memorandum on Monday that will guide the course of U.S. trade policy over the coming years. Contrary to earlier concerns, the action will not impose new tariffs on day one, according to officials familiar with the plan.

This is an effort to lay out a vision for Trump’s trade agenda “in a measured way,” said a senior Trump policy adviser, suggesting a more deliberate approach to the often-heated rhetoric that characterized the campaign trail.

You can read more on the matter here.

What’s going on?

• The DOGE Soap Opera: Ramaswamy Reportedly Out, Trump Contradicts (theDeepDive)

• Trump to Lay Out Trade Vision—but Won’t Impose New Tariffs Yet (WSJ)

• External Revenue Service: Trump’s Latest Venture into Doing What’s Already Being Done (theDeepDive)

• EU to test how banks would cope with geopolitical shocks, trade wars (Reuters)

• Maryland Sues RealPage, Major Landlords Over Alleged Rent-Fixing Scheme (theDeepDive)

• Climate activists spray green paint over Amazon’s base in Davos, disrupt helicopters landings (Globe)

• Fresh Revelations Raise Doubts On TikTok’s “Independence” From Beijing (theDeepDive)

• Biden pardons his family in final minutes in office (CNBC)

• Meta’s Policy Changes Prompt High-Profile Lawyer to Quit (theDeepDive)

What’s the latest?

• Oil: Oil prices dropped on Monday, with Brent crude down 0.35% to $80.51 per barrel and WTI April futures falling 21 cents to $77.18 per barrel. Recent U.S. sanctions on Russian oil producers and tankers affected up to 1 million barrels per day, driving last week’s price gains. However, market uncertainty remains as President-elect Trump is expected to ease energy sanctions as part of efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

• Energy: President-elect Donald Trump plans to declare a national energy emergency, aiming to halve energy costs within his first year and boost domestic energy production, especially in Alaska. U.S. oil and gas production, already the world's highest, is influenced more by market conditions than political agendas, as noted by CEOs of Exxon and Chevron. Analysts highlight that while Trump may unlock emergency powers to support energy supply, there is limited ability to compel increased production directly.

• TikTok: TikTok began restoring access for U.S. users after President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to sign an executive order delaying the app's federal ban. The company thanked Trump for clarifying that service providers would not face penalties, enabling TikTok to remain available to over 170 million U.S. users and 7 million small businesses. Despite this temporary relief, TikTok's future remains uncertain under the current law, as ByteDance has not agreed to divest ownership or enter a joint venture.

• Crypto: Donald Trump’s cryptocurrency, $TRUMP, surged 73% to $46.06 on Monday, reaching a $9.2 billion market capitalization with $42.2 billion in 24-hour trading volume. The token, launched just ahead of Trump’s inauguration, has sparked debates about ethics and regulation as it blends decentralized finance with political influence. The crypto community anticipates Trump’s promised executive orders to reduce regulatory barriers and boost digital asset adoption, fueling optimism across the industry, including a rally in Bitcoin, which is up over 10% this month.

• Poll: A BMO report revealed that 63% of surveyed Canadians are concerned about a potential recession within the next 12 months, with 48% expecting the economy to weaken and 19% predicting improvement. Inflation remains a key concern, negatively impacting 67% of respondents' financial situations. The online survey of 1,500 adults was conducted in November 2024, highlighting rising prices and cost-of-living challenges.

Bye Bye TikTok?

The stock market and stuff

• Sonoro Gold: The Cerro Caliche Project (theDeepDive)

• Costco union representing 18,000 workers authorize nationwide strike (CNBC)

• Silver Elephant Vs Andean Precious Metals: A Bolivian Mining Drama (theDeepDive)

• Trump's crypto token tops $10 billion market cap, bitcoin hits record high (Reuters)

• Why I Like Altius Minerals: Yields 25% More Than Other Royalty Companies (theDeepDive)

In the juniors

• NG Energy Sells 40% Interest In Sinu-9 For US$150 Million, Reducing Ownership To Minority Interest (theDeepDive)

• Kits Eyecare Reports $159.3 Million In Prelim Revenue For 2024 (theDeepDive)

• Cardinal Energy Targets $217 Million in Adjusted Funds Flow for 2025 (theDeepDive)

• Canoo Goes Belly Up, Ceases Operations (theDeepDive)

• Benton Hits 7.47% Copper Over 22.0 Metres, Discovers New Zone (theDeepDive)

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