Trade talks between the White House and Mexico have reportedly slowed after the U.S. commerce secretary opposed significant reductions in duties on autos, steel and aluminum. (The Wall Street Journal)

Talking point: Unnamed sources familiar with the talks said trade negotiators had been getting close to a deal before Lutnick stepped in. His 11th-hour intervention over similar issues with Canada reportedly played a role in the collapse of those talks this summer. The U.S. Department of Commerce, which Lutnick leads, oversees the Section 232 tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed on national security grounds, which include levies on downstream steel and aluminum goods. Mexico has been asking the U.S. to lower the tariffs on passenger vehicles from 25 per cent to no higher than 15 per cent. That’s the rate for Japan and South Korea, where automakers do not face the strict country-of-origin rules in the North American trade pact.

Sponsored Content

The road to risk-smart regulation

By Deborah Aarts

Why cybersecurity needs to match pace with AI

By Jessica Aftimus Rosa

How to shift your workforce from AI experimentation to adoption

By Jessica Aftimus Rosa

Paid promotional content