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The week that Trump pushed the global economy to the brink with tariffs — and then pulled back

The stock market was soaring and the sun was shining when President Donald Trump stepped out of the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon. Less than two hours earlier, he had retreated from his plans to increase tariffs on many U.S. trading partners, and investors were rejoicing after bracing for a global economic meltdown. “You’ve got the markets seeing your brilliance,” Sen. John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, told the president.

Analysis-Tariffs caused US Treasury market dislocations, raising longer term concerns

The searing selloff in Treasuries this week in response to tariffs caused dislocations in the world’s biggest bond market, as hedge funds unwound some debt-fuelled bets and investors raised concerns about lasting damage to U.S. markets. While the market participants, who include brokers, traders and investors, said the selloff was orderly, indicators such as bid-ask spreads -- or the difference between buyers' and sellers' asks -- were widening on Wednesday. One trading desk said the bid-ask spread was double its normal levels.