Stories that are getting the most attention from our readers this week.
Manufacturing and industrial giants worldwide are cutting 2025 profit projections amid mounting uncertainty from President Trump’s trade policy. Automakers like GM signaled a potential $5 billion hit, while European plane makers face Chinese retaliation. Similarly, budget airlines reconsider expansions over higher costs and reduced travel demand. This gloom stems from relentless tariff shifts: firms attempt to pre-order or reroute supplies, creating gluts or shortages. Some corporations, paralyzed by unpredictability, hoard cash rather than invest in new projects. Market analysts say “uncertainty is the new normal,” as the White House partially postpones certain tariffs but threatens new ones. Meanwhile, factory activity indexes in Asia and Europe slid into contraction, fueling recessionary whispers if no resolution appears soon.
President Trump signed an executive order expanding deep-sea mining, allowing companies to extract mineral-rich nodules from ocean floors. Proponents call this a strategic move to secure rare-earth metals crucial for technology manufacturing. Critics argue it threatens fragile marine ecosystems we barely understand. The order directs government agencies to expedite permits, effectively lowering environmental review barriers. While supporters see it as a way to reduce dependence on Chinese mineral imports, environmental groups warn that disturbing deep seabeds can harm biodiversity and release unknown levels of carbon stored in sediment. This policy intensifies a global debate on whether short-term resource gains justify potential long-term ecological damage.