Global imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) edged up in the first half of 2025, driven by Europe’s intensifying effort to secure fuel supplies, which has come at Asia’s expense. Global LNG imports totaled about 208.62 million metric tons in the first six months of the year, a 1.7% increase over the same period in 2024.

Asia, traditionally the dominant buyer of LNG, imported 133.41 million tons over the period, down 6.4% or roughly 9 million tons compared to a year earlier. Meanwhile, Europe ramped up imports by 11.8 million tons, or 21.6%, reaching 66.43 million tons. This shift underlines how Europe has increasingly relied on LNG to replace pipeline gas from Russia, which has dwindled sharply since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump is preparing to announce the most far-reaching trade restrictions implemented by the United States in nearly a century, fundamentally reshaping the international trading system built since World War II and introducing significant uncertainty into global economic relations.

Trump’s expected policy, referred to as “reciprocal tariffs,” has left global investors, business leaders, policymakers, and consumers unsure about the precise implications and scale of the anticipated measures. With discussions still ongoing just a day before the announcement, crucial details such as the exact tariff rates, targeted countries, and affected goods remain uncertain, contributing to heightened anxiety in international markets.

China’s central bank announced revisions to car loans on Wednesday, aiming to stimulate auto trade-ins and eliminate government-mandated minimum down payments for consumers financing new car purchases. These changes, the first since the beginning of 2018, represent the latest effort to bolster…