Victoria Craig

A day before U.S.-China trade talks begin in Switzerland, President Trump this morning floated the idea of easing tariff rates on China. In a Truth Social post, he said an 80 percent tariff on China seems right, but added that decision is up to his Treasury Secretary Scott Besant. If the U.S.

does land on such a number, it would be a climb down from the 145 percent tariffs Trump imposed on Chinese imports earlier this year. An 80 percent rate, though, would still present hurdles to trade between the world's two biggest economies.

does land on such a number, it would be a climb down from the 145 percent tariffs Trump imposed on Chinese imports earlier this year. An 80 percent rate, though, would still present hurdles to trade between the world's two biggest economies.

Meanwhile, the Journal exclusively reports that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has tapped his top public security aide to participate in this weekend's trade talks. That's according to people familiar with the matter. And it signals the importance of the fentanyl issue to bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, the Journal exclusively reports that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has tapped his top public security aide to participate in this weekend's trade talks. That's according to people familiar with the matter. And it signals the importance of the fentanyl issue to bilateral relations.

The Trump administration has pushed Beijing to help fix America's drug crisis with more drastic measures to cut off the production and export of chemicals used to make the synthetic opioid. Also today, Chinese authorities pledged to step up their enforcement of limits on the export of rare earth metals. In April, Beijing retaliated against U.S.

The Trump administration has pushed Beijing to help fix America's drug crisis with more drastic measures to cut off the production and export of chemicals used to make the synthetic opioid. Also today, Chinese authorities pledged to step up their enforcement of limits on the export of rare earth metals. In April, Beijing retaliated against U.S.

tariffs with controls on the resources needed for advanced defense systems including missile defense platforms, attack submarines and F-35 fighter jets. Those rare earths also serve as magnets in motors and other electronics. So what if you could make those with cheaper materials found within North America? You'd be tariff-proof.

tariffs with controls on the resources needed for advanced defense systems including missile defense platforms, attack submarines and F-35 fighter jets. Those rare earths also serve as magnets in motors and other electronics. So what if you could make those with cheaper materials found within North America? You'd be tariff-proof.

One startup, Conifer, is working on electric motors that use steel and rust, that is, plain old iron. WSJ tech columnist Christopher Mims told me on our Tech News Briefing podcast about where we might see these newfangled motors.

One startup, Conifer, is working on electric motors that use steel and rust, that is, plain old iron. WSJ tech columnist Christopher Mims told me on our Tech News Briefing podcast about where we might see these newfangled motors.

You can hear more of my conversation with Christopher on Tech News Briefing. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts, including where you're listening to this one. In U.S. stocks today, benchmarks were a little changed ahead of the U.S.-China trade talks this weekend.

You can hear more of my conversation with Christopher on Tech News Briefing. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts, including where you're listening to this one. In U.S. stocks today, benchmarks were a little changed ahead of the U.S.-China trade talks this weekend.

The Dow fell roughly three-tenths of a percent, the S&P dropped less than one-tenth of a percent, and the Nasdaq was unchanged. Coming up, if you build it, they will come. That's the hope for many U.S. cities building entire neighborhoods around new sports stadiums. That's after the break.

The Dow fell roughly three-tenths of a percent, the S&P dropped less than one-tenth of a percent, and the Nasdaq was unchanged. Coming up, if you build it, they will come. That's the hope for many U.S. cities building entire neighborhoods around new sports stadiums. That's after the break.

The heyday of free trade meant less paperwork and less to do for the customs brokers who handle the logistics of getting goods from one country to another. But tariffs have changed all that, at least for now. WSJ reporter Kajal Viez traveled to Laredo, Texas, America's biggest inland port, to see how anxious importers are bombarding customs brokers with work. Kajal, let's just start really broad.

The heyday of free trade meant less paperwork and less to do for the customs brokers who handle the logistics of getting goods from one country to another. But tariffs have changed all that, at least for now. WSJ reporter Kajal Viez traveled to Laredo, Texas, America's biggest inland port, to see how anxious importers are bombarding customs brokers with work. Kajal, let's just start really broad.

What does a customs broker actually do?

What does a customs broker actually do?

So now these customs brokers are in high demand, and one of them told you that it's his company's best year. So what does that actually look like in practice?