US/EU trade talks go down to the wire

The EU are also Billionaires. Thats why they're at the same table to begin with. If you cant take advantage of a maniac at the poker table then you're the fish.

There is one way it can become extremely beneficial.

Its not a bad thing that this whole saga has shaken the EU from its inertia, its obsession with regulation and inflation, rather than innovation and growth. At least I hope from some of the signs that it has.

What this deal has done, and in this I agree with David McWilliams, is bought time and provided a degree of certainty.

That gives a bit of breathing room to plan a Brexit style response and diversify. And that Brexit era expertise remains in the EU, and it was very effective.

The White House has its 'win' to crow about, but nobody except a fool believes the EU is going to buy the amount of LPG in the deal, after all, it would require something like ten times the current consumption in the EU, at a time that consumption is dropping!

Also, on defence, European governments have been put on notice about the strings attached to US defence purchasing, and there is no question that large investment by the EU 27 will be in EU makers over American ones. So there is no way the 'hundreds of billions' is going to be spent there either.

This deal won't do one beneficial thing to return manufacturing to the US. In fact, all it has done is to lock in higher input costs for American businesses and higher inflation and less choice for ordinary Americans. In reality, all the White House wants to do, is increase revenues at point of entry to fund tax cuts for the rich. And they will deal with the consequences of that in several ways, down the line.

So yes, the EU has received a bloody nose. But maybe just one nostril. And once bitten twice shy. Now is the window of time to assess the lessons, regroup, restrategise, diversify.

There is no deal……

So still no certainty about what was agreed about tariffs.

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_25_1930

The 15% ceiling will also apply to any potential future tariffs on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, including those based on Section 232. Until the US decides on whether to impose additional tariffs on these products pursuant to Section 232, they will remain subject only to US MFN tariffs.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/29/pharma-tariffs-firms-urge-for-clarity-under-eu-us-trade-deal.html

Pharma giants push for tariff clarity as ambiguity threatens EU-U.S. deal

Really hoping the EU didn't drop the ball here. Anti-EU sentiment will justifiably rise if we are forced to invest all this money in America whilst also losing a bunch of the pharma industry.

750 billion USD on energy imports and then 650 billion on "investments".

Promoting and facilitating mutual investments on both sides of the Atlantic.  EU companies have expressed interest in investing at least $600 billion (ca. €550 billion) in various sectors in the US by 2029, further boosting the already significant €2.4 trillion in existing investment.

One would have to think as sure as EU won't (and has no power to) invest in US Energy & Military, US will be back for Pharma

Fine. Whatever. There is no natural conclusion to this that doesn't involve a deliberate shrinking of the American economy and ordinary working Americans being worse off.

Once the tariff regimes harden, it will kick in, sooner or later. And considering there isn't enough American raw materials, such as steel, to grow the kind of industrial rebound that he wants, costs will skyrocket because of having to import tariffed metals from abroad.

And that will ultimately hit his beloved stock markets. Certainly before the 2026 mid-term elections.

Waterford went into receivership and Fercullen/Powerscourt is in examinership looking for a buyer.

A lot of others have paused production including Midleton, Roe and Co.

Killarney seems to havd had specific site issues but the trade / tariff aspect may be making it harder to get more investment capital.