US President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a national state of emergency over the actions of the Cuban government, calling the situation an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security and foreign policy.
According to the White House, the executive order also launches a procedure to impose additional duties on goods from countries that sell or otherwise supply oil to Cuba.
According to Reuters, the specific levels of tariffs and the list of countries in the document are not fixed – the decision involves further evaluation by specialized agencies of the United States.
Cuban authorities have publicly condemned Washington’s moves, saying that such measures could hit energy supplies and critical services on the island.
US President Donald Trump announced his intention to raise tariffs on a number of goods from South Korea from 15% to 25%, linking this decision to the fact that, according to him, the country’s parliament had failed to fulfill its obligations under a previously agreed trade agreement. According to Reuters, Trump wrote on social media that the increased rates would apply to South Korean cars, lumber, pharmaceuticals, and other goods subject to “reciprocal tariffs.” However, the report did not specify when the increase would take effect.
The South Korean authorities were taken by surprise by the announcement and declared their commitment to implementing the agreements; emergency consultations were held in Seoul, and relevant officials are preparing to contact the American side.
Against the backdrop of the news, South Korea’s KOSPI index fell during trading, then reversed and closed higher, while the won weakened. Hyundai Motor and Kia shares ended the session lower after a more noticeable decline during the day.
We remind you that under the agreement reached in 2025, the tariff on imports of Korean cars and auto components to the US was previously reduced to 15% from 25% and came into effect on November 1
IMPORTS, SOUTH KOREA, TARIFFS, TRUMP, US
US President Donald Trump said in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he expects to sign a law regulating the structure of the cryptocurrency market, which will cover Bitcoin in particular, in the near future. According to him, the administration is striving to ensure that the US remains the “crypto capital of the world.” Trump also recalled that he had previously signed the GENIUS Act and added that Congress is working “very diligently” on a new set of rules for crypto assets, which he “hopes to sign very soon.”
Trump’s statements were accompanied by increased volatility in the cryptocurrency market: according to industry publications, Bitcoin initially fell after the comments from Davos, but then partially recovered and returned to levels around $90,000 as investors assessed the signals regarding regulation and the overall news background.
CRYPTO MARKET, DAVOS, LAW, TRUMP, USA
On Thursday, a ceremony was held in Davos to sign the founding documents of a new international initiative by US President Donald Trump, which the American media has dubbed the Board of Peace (in a number of publications – “Council of Peace”). According to media reports, the documents were signed by representatives of Azerbaijan, Argentina, Armenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Mongolia, the UAE, Pakistan, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Kosovo.
The ceremony was held publicly and was reported by American media outlets, which published footage and details of the signing of the charter. According to ABC News, the charter establishes an expanded mandate for the structure as an “international organization” that goes beyond a single regional dossier.
It should be noted that Kosovo is a partially recognized state: Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, declared in 2008, and continues to consider the region its territory (the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija).
Oil prices fell significantly on Thursday, with traders’ attention shifting back to supply and demand prospects after the hype around Greenland subsided.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said that the United States wants to immediately begin negotiations to purchase Greenland from Denmark and does not intend to use military force to seize the island.
Trump later wrote on Truth Social that he had abandoned plans to impose tariffs on a number of European countries in February because he had been able to agree with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on a basis for further negotiations on Greenland.
“We are now seeing a decline in the risk premium associated with events surrounding Greenland and the situation in Iran,” said Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen.
The price of March Brent futures on the London ICE Futures exchange at 13:15 GMT is $64.42 per barrel, which is $0.82 (1.26%) lower than at the close of previous trading.
WTI crude oil futures for March delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) rose in price by $0.76 (1.25%) to $59.86 per barrel.
On Thursday, the market’s attention is focused on the weekly report on energy reserves in the US, which will be released at 7:00 p.m.
Estimates from the American Petroleum Institute (API), published on Wednesday night, showed an increase in US oil reserves last week of 3.04 million barrels.
Traders also continue to monitor the situation in Kazakhstan, where oil production at the Tengiz and Royal fields was suspended this week due to problems with the power distribution systems.
US President Donald Trump, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, reiterated his intention to seek control over Greenland and, commenting on the topic, said: “I’m just asking for a piece of ice.”
According to Reuters and AP, Trump claimed that the US would not use force to obtain the island, while insisting on the need for negotiations and calling Washington’s request a “small request” in the context of the US’s role in ensuring the security of its allies.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump’s statements about a possible change in the island’s status previously provoked a sharp reaction in Europe, where the inadmissibility of a forceful scenario and the importance of respecting sovereignty were emphasized.
The island is interesting for its reserves and prospects for the extraction of critically important minerals, including rare earth elements, which are important for high-tech industries and energy transition.
Greenland is also associated with the planet’s largest reserves of fresh water in the form of ice – together with Antarctica, the ice sheets contain more than 99% of the Earth’s fresh ice.
Its key advantage is its geography: its location on Arctic and North Atlantic routes, including the GIUK (Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom) area, which NATO considers a strategic maritime “corridor” between the Arctic and the Atlantic.
