A blitz of levy announcements issued

HOUSTON/SANTIAGO, Chile — US President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a blitz of tariff announcements ranging from changes to previously threatened levies on imports of copper, and goods from Brazil.

The wave of announcements came as the clock ticked down toward an Aug 1 deadline for higher US tariff rates, as Trump pressed on with his bid to reshape global trade.

Trump said a 50 percent tariff on copper pipes and wiring would kick in on Friday. Details of the copper levy fell short of the sweeping restrictions expected and left out copper input materials such as ores, concentrates and cathodes. The surprise move dragged down US copper prices more than 17 percent on the Comex exchange and unwound a premium over the London global benchmark that had grown in recent weeks, with shipments diverted there in anticipation of higher domestic prices.