Dollar Stalls as Trump Tariff Turmoil Shakes Global Markets

The U.S. dollar weakened on Tuesday as Asian markets reacted to renewed uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump’s tariff policy and its potential fallout on global trade. Investors reassessed currency positions after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Trump’s use of a 1977 emergency law to impose tariffs exceeded presidential authority, reigniting volatility across forex markets.

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of major currencies, held steady at 97.69 after falling as much as 0.45% in the previous session. The euro edged up 0.07% to $1.1793, while the Japanese yen slipped 0.03% to 154.71 per dollar. Market participants are closely watching USD/JPY movements after Japan’s Nikkei newspaper reported that U.S. authorities conducted rate checks in January to support the yen, signaling possible currency intervention.

Trade tensions escalated after Trump announced plans to raise a temporary tariff on U.S. imports from 10% to 15%, the maximum allowed under the law. He also warned that countries attempting to renegotiate trade deals following the Supreme Court ruling could face even steeper duties. According to the Wall Street Journal, Washington is considering additional national security tariffs targeting sectors such as industrial chemicals, large-scale batteries, power grid equipment, and telecom infrastructure.

The European Parliament postponed a vote on the European Union–U.S. trade agreement, while Japan requested assurances that new U.S. tariff measures would not disadvantage Tokyo compared to last year’s deal.

Broader market sentiment remains fragile as investors weigh artificial intelligence investment sustainability, persistent inflation concerns, and Federal Reserve policy signals. The Fed is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged until at least June, with policymakers monitoring upcoming labor market data.

In currency markets, the Australian dollar rose 0.1% to $0.7061, and the New Zealand dollar gained 0.08% to $0.5961. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin climbed 0.6% to $64,961.86, while ether advanced 0.2% to $1,866.88, reflecting cautious but resilient investor appetite.