US is to announce new section 301 trade probes on Wednesday, NYT reports

• Trump admin expected to announce new trade investigations Wednesday into what it considers unfair trading practices by other countries.
• One prominent issue is expected to be so-called excess capacity in foreign manufacturing. Admin will also look at trade practices including taxes on digital services, the use of forced labour and currency manipulation.

The upcoming announcement of new Section 301 trade probes suggests heightened scrutiny of international trade practices, particularly targeting excess capacity and potential unfair advantages from certain countries. This move could lead to market volatility, particularly in sectors sensitive to trade relations, such as commodities and technology, and may signal a tougher stance on trade that could affect currency flows and risk sentiment. Watch for potential impacts on affected sectors and currencies as the details unfold.