France’s President Emmanuel Macron Urges European Firms to Postpone US Investments Amid Trade Tensions
French President Emmanuel Macron has called on European companies, including French ones, to put on hold their investments in the United States for the time being, in response to the US-imposed tariffs. Macron made the statement during a meeting with representatives of the industries affected by the US tariffs.
“It is important that the investments announced in recent weeks are put on hold for a while, until we have clarified the situation with the United States of America” Macron said on Thursday.
He also emphasized the importance of collective solidarity, asking, “What message would we be sending if major European players were to invest in America at a time when they are hitting us hard?”
Meanwhile, global stock markets continued to decline for the second consecutive day, with the exception of the Moscow Exchange. The Nikkei index in Japan plummeted by 3.6% in early trading and the German DAX index continued its downward trend. In contrast, the IMOEX index of the Moscow Exchange, which tracks the Russian market, initially rose by 1.4% but then gave up its gains, ending the day almost unchanged. The Russian financial sector’s relative immunity to the global market turmoil is attributed to the sanctions imposed on it, which have served as a shield against the international financial market’s crisis.