Oil prices were little changed in early Asian trade on Friday after falling more than 1% in the previous session.
Chunyip Wong | E+ | Getty Images
U.S. crude oil fell 4% on Friday, after President Donald Trump threatened China with higher tariffs in retaliation for Beijing imposing stricter export controls rare earth minerals.
U.S. crude oil dropped $2.53, or 4.11%, to $58.98 per barrel. Global benchmark Brent was down $2.44, or 3.74%, to $62.78 pre barrel. China-U.S. trade relations were thought to be improving slowly, but this latest setback once again raised concerns higher tariffs may slow the global economy and hurt demand for oil.
Crude oil, 1 day
“I will be forced, as President of the United States of America, to financially counter their move,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social.
“One of the Policies that we are calculating at this moment is a massive increase of Tariffs on Chinese products coming into the United States of America,” the president said. “There are many other countermeasures that are, likewise, under serious consideration.”
Trump’s comments knocked the stock market down Friday as investors took off risk on this renewed threat to the global economy.
