TMI Show Ep 112: “Don't Look Down: Stocks In Freefall"

In this episode of "The TMI Show," hosts Ted Rall and Manila Chan tackle the escalating unrest in global securities markets following President Trump’s tariffs, announced last week on "Liberation Day," April 1. The discussion centers on the dramatic overseas market reactions and the futures markets’ ominous signals. On Monday morning, Asian markets led the plunge: Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 nosedived 7.8%, its steepest drop in a decade, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng cratered 13.2%, the worst since the 1997 financial crisis. Shanghai’s Composite fell 7.3%, and Taiwan’s Taiex shed 9.7%, a record single-day loss. In Europe, the pain spread as Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 each tumbled 5.8%, and Britain’s FTSE 100 slid 4.9%, reflecting widespread fears of a trade war spiral.

Futures markets amplified the dread: U.S. Dow futures dropped 1,246 points by early Monday, signaling more turbulence ahead. With financial expert Aquilles Larrea, Ted and Manila explore the global anxiety—overseas traders are bracing for retaliatory tariffs, supply chain chaos, and a potential recession. With markets reeling and uncertainty looming over the week, the hosts debate whether this is a temporary shock or the start of a deeper crisis.