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Cartoon of the day: 8 April 2025

The rand lost almost 6% of its value against the dollar last week after Trump's announcement on tariffs.

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By Themba Siwela

US President Donald Trump’s recent trade tariffs have tanked global markets and caused economic fallout.

The rand lost almost 6% of its value against the dollar last week after Trump’s announcement on rates.

According to Reuters, the S&P 500 Index, which includes 500 leading companies in the US and covers approximately 80% of available market capitalisation, lost $5 trillion in market value just last week.

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Some global markets also closed early on Monday amid panic and fears that the situation could spark a collapse as bad as or worse than the 2008 international financial crisis.

ALSO READ: Trump’s tariffs: Bloodbath for markets and rand worse than during pandemic – economists

Trump defiant

Trump on Monday defended the tariffs, saying he was not looking at pausing the rates amid the reaction.

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He said he would negotiate the tariffs if they can make a “really fair deal and a good deal for the United States”, reported AP.

“I spoke to many leaders, European, Asian, from all over the world. They’re dying to make a deal. And I said, we’re not going to have deficits with your country. We’re not going to do that because, to me, a deficit is a loss. We’re going to have surpluses or at worst, going to be breaking even”.

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Published by
By Themba Siwela
Read more on these topics: CartoonCartoon of the dayDonald Trump