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2026 Global Slowdown? The Incoming Tariff Pain

Darren Tay, Head of APAC Country Risk, BMI

28-Aug-25 12:00

2026 Global Slowdown? The Incoming Tariff Pain

Months after new reciprocal tariffs were announced, initial data shows that Asian exporters have been front-loading shipments to the US to get ahead of the hikes. But what does this early reaction tell us about the real impact on trade, and what comes next after the frenzy?

Darren Tay, Head of APAC Country Risk at BMI, joins us to break down the findings from their new report. He analyses the varied responses across the region, from Taiwanese firms absorbing costs to Japanese exporters buffered by a weak yen, and explains why we should brace for a "payback" period and a global slowdown in 2026.

We discuss:

  • The "front-loading" effect and what the initial trade data reveals.

  • How Taiwan is absorbing the tariffs and how currency changes have buffered Japan

  • Why Asian financial markets have been surprisingly resilient so far.

  • The long-term impact: a global slowdown and reduced reliance on the US.

  • Why 2026 is the year to watch for the full "payback" from the tariffs.

    For business leaders, exporters, and investors, this is a data-driven analysis of the new tariff landscape.

Produced by: Roshan Kanesan

Presented by: Roshan Kanesan


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Categories:  sponsored contentmarketseconomyinternationalpolitics

Tags:  international tradeus tariffstrade policymacroeconomicsgeopoliticsMDX2025





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