Market Rundown: Easing US-China Trade War, Google Buyback, and Apple's India Shift

Easing US-China Trade Tensions

• 🇨🇳 China has granted exemptions on US imports from its 125% tariffs, signaling concern over the economic impact of the trade war.
• 🇺🇸 Washington has also offered tariff exemptions on some electronic goods, indicating a potential de-escalation.
• 📈 Asian stocks have seen their second week of gains, European shares are up, and US futures are also high, reflecting optimism.
• 💵 The dollar is poised for its first weekly gain in over a month as trade tensions appear to be easing.

Corporate Financial Highlights

• 💡 Google's parent company, Alphabet, announced a $70 billion share buyback after exceeding first-quarter expectations, attributing strong returns to AI investments.
• 🍎 Apple is reportedly planning to shift all iPhone assembly for US sales to India, aiming to source over 60 million iPhones from India by the end of 2026 in response to US tariff plans.
• 📉 Colgate-Palmolive is expected to report dwindling first-quarter revenue, impacted by tariffs and weaker demand for premium oral care products.

US Deep Sea Mining Initiative

• ⛏️ President Trump signed an executive order to boost the deep sea mining industry, aiming to increase US access to critical minerals like copper and nickel.
• ⚠️ Conservationists have raised concerns that this initiative could harm the aquatic ecosystem.