April 23 - Apple (AAPL, Financial) shares climbed more than 3% after the opening bell on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump hinted at a potential reduction in tariffs on Chinese goods, depending on the outcome of trade negotiations.
Speaking to reporters in Washington on Tuesday, Trump said levies on Chinese imports “will come down substantially” if a new agreement is reached, though he ruled out eliminating them entirely. He added that he intends to be “very nice” during upcoming talks with Beijing.
The comments sparked a rally across global equity markets. On Tuesday, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each rose over 2.5%. The momentum carried into Asia and Europe, with Japan's Nikkei 225 up 1.9%, Germany's DAX rising 2.4%, the FTSE 100 gaining 1.1%, and France's CAC 40 adding 1.9%.
Investors welcomed signs of easing trade tensions, which have weighed on multinational firms with deep exposure to China. Apple, in particular, has been hit hard by tariffs, as it relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing and sales. The stock is still down more than 19% year-to-date.
Trump also said he has “no intention” of removing Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, offering reassurance following recent criticism.
