Constantin Gurdgiev on Trump and trade

The looming Trump-induced storm is a daunting prospect for our open economy, but if we are clever we can actually benefit in the long term

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar pictured with US president Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House last week: trade restrictions between the EU and the US will increase Ireland’s competitive advantage Pic: Getty

Following market jitters in February, the first two weeks of March have seen fears of a trade war erupting across the Atlantic and the Pacific, courtesy of the protectionist stance of the current White House administration. Combined with the ongoing currency wars, and spurred on by asymmetric monetary policies across the advanced economies, the new row about trade-restricting tariffs could not have come at a worse time.

Trade wars?

After years of subdued ...