Trade and Tariffs with Fexingo: International Commerce, Trade Wars, and Global Supply Chains

On this episode of Trade and Tariffs with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna explore how the global olive oil market has become an unexpected battleground in trade geopolitics. With the world's largest producer, Spain, recovering from a historic drought-driven crisis, and US tariffs on European agri-food imports still in place, the olive oil trade is reshaping supply chains from Andalusia to California. We look at how a 25 percent tariff on Spanish olive oil has boosted domestic production in the US but left consumers paying nearly 50 percent more at the grocery store. We also examine how Tunisia and Turkey are stepping in as alternative suppliers, and what this means for the future of food trade wars. A focused case study on how a single commodity — one with deep cultural and economic roots — can become a flashpoint in broader trade conflicts.

#OliveOil #TradeWar #Tariffs #Spain #US #Agriculture #Geopolitics #SupplyChain #FoodTrade #EU #Tunisia #Turkey #California #Commodity #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TradeAndTariffs

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Episode 118 of Trade and Tariffs with Fexingo examines South Korea's deepening export crisis in mid-2026. The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) plunged over 10% in five days, hitting levels not seen since the 2020 pandemic. Lucas and Luna drill into the specific drivers: memory chip oversupply from China's factory glut, US-China export controls squeezing Samsung and SK Hynix, and the won's depreciation against the dollar. They connect the collapse to broader emerging market divergence—contrasting Korea's woes with China's FXI rally—and ask whether Korea's export model is structurally broken or just cyclically battered. A data-rich, case-focused episode on the new geography of semiconductor trade.

#SouthKorea #Semiconductor #ExportCollapse #EWY #ChipTrade #Samsung #SKHynix #TradeWar #USChina #MemoryChips #Won #EmergingMarkets #SupplyChains #TradeTariffs #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #GlobalTrade

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On July 16, 2026, the US announced a 25% tariff on most Brazilian goods. Lucas and Luna unpack the specific triggers—from Brazil's currency manipulation complaints to its rising steel exports—and what this means for Latin American trade realignment. They connect the move to the broader trade war logic: the US is now targeting middle-income allies, not just China. With the dollar still strong at 120.5 on the trade-weighted index, the episode explores who wins and loses when tariffs shift from Beijing to Brasília. Plus, a look at how Mexico and India are positioned as alternative suppliers.

#BrazilTariffs #USBrazilTrade #TradeWar #Tariffs #CurrencyManipulation #SteelExports #EmergingMarkets #LatinAmerica #Mexico #India #SupplyChains #ExportEconomy #DollarStrength #GlobalTrade #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Economics #TradePolicy

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The Panama Canal, a linchpin of global trade, is facing its worst drought in decades, forcing shipping giant Maersk to reroute vessels around South America. This episode dives into how the water shortage is redrawing trade maps, raising costs for retailers, and accelerating shifts toward nearshoring. We discuss the specific toll on container shipping rates, the impact on US East Coast ports, and why this environmental crisis is becoming a permanent trade barrier. Lucas and Luna examine the numbers behind the diversion, the strategic response from the industry, and what it means for supply chains headed into 2027.

#PanamaCanal #Maersk #Shipping #GlobalTrade #SupplyChain #Drought #Nearshoring #ContainerShipping #TradeBarrier #Logistics #Economics #Business #Climate #Ports #TradeWar #Freight #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast

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As the world scrambles for battery minerals, a new trade battleground is emerging around lithium processing. Lucas and Luna unpack how China controls over 60 percent of lithium refining capacity, why Washington is pouring $3 billion into domestic processing, and what that means for electric vehicle supply chains. They discuss the concentration risk—similar to rare earths—and whether Western refineries can compete on cost. Plus, a look at how tariffs on Chinese lithium products could backfire by raising EV battery costs. Specific numbers: 65 percent of lithium processing in China, $3 billion in US DOE grants, and a 25 percent tariff on Chinese lithium imports proposed under Section 301.

#Lithium #BatterySupplyChain #TradeWar #ElectricVehicles #CriticalMinerals #ChinaTrade #Section301 #USManufacturing #EnergyTransition #MineralProcessing #TradePolicy #IndustrialPolicy #SupplyChainSecurity #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TradeAndTariffs #GlobalSupplyChains

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In this episode of Trade and Tariffs with Fexingo, Lucas and Luna dive into the escalating currency tensions triggered by the ongoing trade war. With the trade-weighted US dollar index slipping to 120.5 and the yen weakening past 161 per dollar, they explore how tariffs are forcing central banks into competitive devaluation. They discuss the impact on emerging markets like Brazil and South Korea, and examine whether the era of a strong dollar is ending. Tune in for a sharp, data-driven analysis of the new currency battlegrounds.

#CurrencyWars #TradeWar #DollarIndex #Yen #EmergingMarkets #Brazil #SouthKorea #CentralBanks #Tariffs #ExportCompetitiveness #Economics #GlobalTrade #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TradeAndTariffs #FX #Devaluation #MonetaryPolicy

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Episode 113 of Trade and Tariffs with Fexingo. Lucas and Luna examine how China's massive overcapacity in factories and exports is driving deflation and reshaping trade flows. With China's June exports rising at the fastest pace since 2021 — driven by AI boom and tariff rush — they break down the implications for global supply chains, emerging markets, and the trade-weighted dollar. They discuss how the FXI index rose 2.9% in a week while other emerging markets lagged, and whether the U.S. trade deficit widening to $77.6 billion is a symptom of this imbalance. A focused look at one structural force: China's industrial glut.

#ChinaExports #TradeWar #SupplyChains #Deflation #Overcapacity #AI #Tariffs #FXI #EmergingMarkets #TradeBalance #GlobalTrade #Dollar #Manufacturing #ExportDumping #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TradeAndTariffs

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President Trump's proposal to charge a 20 percent toll on cargo ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz could be the most disruptive trade policy of 2026. Lucas and Luna break down what the toll would mean for oil prices, container shipping costs, and the global economy. They discuss how the blockade could strain supply chains, why it's hitting South Korea's KOSPI especially hard, and whether the move is a negotiating tactic or a long-term policy shift. Plus, they explain how the weaker yen and yuan are complicating the fallout. If you've been wondering how geopolitics is reshaping the shipping lanes that power global commerce, this episode gives you the concrete numbers and context you need.

#StraitOfHormuz #TrumpTradePolicy #OilPrices #ShippingTolls #GlobalTrade #SupplyChains #SouthKorea #KOSPI #Yen #Yuan #ContainerShipping #Geopolitics #TradeWar #Economics #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #TradeAndTariffs #Energy

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Episode 111: Lucas and Luna dig into how trade wars—specifically new US tariffs on Chinese rare earth imports—are forcing a massive realignment in the worldwide rare earth supply chain. They examine China's 70% global market share, the scramble for alternative sources in Australia and Brazil, and the surprising role of a small startup called MP Materials in building a US processing plant. With the trade-weighted dollar index at 120.7 and the yen weakening to 160.9 per dollar, the episode shows how currency moves and tariff policy together are reshaping critical mineral flows. No grand theory—just a sharp look at one industry being dismantled and rebuilt in real time.

#RareEarths #TradeWar #SupplyChain #CriticalMinerals #China #MPMaterials #Tariffs #Economics #GlobalTrade #Manufacturing #Lithium #Neodymium #Australia #Brazil #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #IndustrialPolicy #MineralSecurity

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This episode of Trade and Tariffs with Fexingo examines how fertilizer has become a strategic commodity in the global trade war. With the U.S. trade deficit widening to $77.6 billion in May 2026 and the dollar weakening to 120.7 on the trade-weighted index, Lucas and Luna explore the impact of tariffs on key fertilizer inputs like potash and urea. They discuss how Russia and Belarus are leveraging export restrictions to gain leverage, while the U.S. scrambles to secure domestic production and alternative suppliers like Canada and Morocco. The hosts tie in the recent airstrikes in the Strait of Hormuz, which threaten ammonia shipments from the Middle East, and explain why this matters for farmers, food prices, and national security. A specific focus on the price of DAP (diammonium phosphate) and how it has surged 18% year-over-year despite falling crop prices.

#Fertilizer #TradeWar #Geopolitics #SupplyChain #Agriculture #Economics #Business #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Tariffs #FoodSecurity #Russia #Belarus #Canada #Morocco #Potash #Urea #DAP

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