US rounds of tariffs to disrupt free trade

New duties set to bring about negative effects for economies, observers say

The latest tariffs imposed by the United States against its trade partners could disrupt the international economic order and plunge free trade mechanisms into uncertainty while bringing about multidimensional negative effects for economies and consumers, analysts have said.

The key question for now is whether the United States intends to put an end to the free trade order or simply change the rules, said Rasha Al Joundy, a senior researcher at the Dubai Public Policy Research Centre.

The White House on Wednesday announced a universal 10 percent tariff on imports to the US from over 180 countries and territories, and higher tariffs targeting specific countries.