Tariff Table Turn

Hey ZipLawyer! Here's all the news you need to know this week plus how they impact Law Firms.

Coming up:

🇨🇳 China turns the tariff tables
🏠 London rentals trouble
🧑‍💼 Employment law gets tough
📉 The end of start-ups?

What you need to know this week

⚖️ Non-Compete Controversy: A federal judge overturned the FTC’s ban on non-compete agreements, set to begin next month. The judge ruled the FTC lacked the authority to implement the ban, which aimed to boost wages and business creation.

🛒 FTC vs. Kroger: Kroger, a massive supermarket chain, sued to prevent the FTC from using its internal tribunal to rule on its $25 billion acquisition of Albertsons. Kroger argues the FTC's approach breaches constitutional limits on federal power.

💻 AMD’s Big Buy: AMD is ramping up its competition with Nvidia by acquiring ZT Systems for $4.9 billion. ZT specializes in infrastructure for AI giants like Amazon, helping AMD enhance its data-center chip capabilities.

🎥 Paramount Bidding War: Edgar Bronfman’s consortium made a rival bid for the company controlling Paramount Global, challenging an existing takeover by Skydance Media. Bronfman, ex-Warner Music CEO, now chairs sports-streaming company FuboTV.

🚗 EV Shift: Ford canceled plans for a large electric SUV, citing aggressive competition from China and cost-conscious consumers. Xiaomi, a Chinese tech giant, is optimistic about its own EV, aiming to boost production by 20% this year.

China turns the tariff tables

What’s going on?

China launched an anti-subsidy investigation into EU dairy imports, escalating a tit-for-tat trade war. This move follows the EU’s recent duties on Chinese electric vehicles.

What does this mean?

In focus: For the EU, this is a strategic hit. France, already wounded by probes into brandy and pork, faces another blow, with €190 million in dairy exports under threat. Smaller EU nations like Denmark and the Netherlands are also caught in the crossfire. China’s investigation challenges the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), potentially disrupting one of Europe’s most protected sectors. For dairy producers, this could mean reduced market access and heightened scrutiny on subsidies, straining relations and profitability.

Big picture: This development underscores the deepening trade rift between two global giants. The EU’s defensive stance on Chinese EVs has provoked a broader retaliatory strategy from Beijing, affecting multiple industries. The escalating trade tensions reflect growing global protectionism, with major economies increasingly leveraging trade tools as weapons. As these tit-for-tat actions intensify, the risk of a full-blown trade war looms, which could destabilize global supply chains and raise prices for consumers worldwide.

How does this impact Law Firms?