Elementary, My Dear Traders: Trump's Trade Deals on the Brink!

The Curious Case of the Vanishing Agreements

The game is afoot or so Deputy Treasury Secretary Faulkender would have us believe. He claims the Trump administration is making 'very good progress' on trade negotiations. 'Close to the finish line,' he declares! One can almost smell the scent of victory or perhaps it's just my pipe tobacco mingling with the lingering aroma of Mrs. Hudson's burnt toast.

Ninety Deals in Ninety Days? Utter Bosh!

Ninety deals in ninety days they said! A bold claim worthy of a dime novel thriller. Yet as I deduced from the available evidence (a single solitary deal with Britain) the reality is far less sensational. As I always say 'It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories instead of theories to suit facts.'

The Art of the Pause (and the Looming Deadline)

Ah the 90 day pause on tariffs! A clever delaying tactic designed to create the illusion of progress. Faulkender insists they won't extend the deadline preferring to 'conclude as many discussions as we can.' It's a tightrope walk my dear Watson with the fate of the global economy hanging in the balance. Or at least a slightly steeper stock market drop. I've seen worse over a game of whist.

Goodwill Hunting (or the Lack Thereof)

Goodwill! A rare commodity in these international trade skirmishes. Faulkender demands it from trade partners promising progress in return. But I suspect much like a villain in one of my cases there are ulterior motives at play. As I once remarked 'There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.' One must always look beneath the surface.

China's Gambit: A Checkmate in the Making?

The U.S. and China locked in their usual dance of accusations each side blaming the other for undermining previous agreements. A familiar tune played out on the global stage. China retorts with concerns over student visas while the U.S. cries foul over mineral exports. It's a game of wits my dear reader and the stakes are rather high. Although I suspect the real victim will be the consumer.

Presidential Pow Wow: A Diplomatic Hail Mary?

A direct talk between Trump and Xi Jinping! A potential solution or simply a distraction? National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett suggests it could happen soon. Perhaps a face to face is what's needed to cut through the bureaucratic fog. Or perhaps as I've often found 'The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.'