The U.S. Treasury Department levied sanctions on Mexican trading company Libre Abordo SA de CV for buying Venezuelan oil via oil-for-humanitarian-aid agreements with the embattled country.

Officials in Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City say the border closings to nonessential travel between the U.S. and its northern and southern neighbors will remain in place for at least another month. The borders have been closed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump’s promise that his phase one trade deal with China would provide a $36.5 billion election-year bonanza for his rural base was always a stretch. Now it looks like it may never be fulfilled.

The U.S. has certified that Hong Kong is no longer politically autonomous from China, a move that could have far-reaching consequences on the former British colony’s special trading status with the U.S., Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said.

U.S. and Canadian officials reached an agreement to keep the 5,525-mile border closed to nonessential traffic until June 21.

U.S. exports of goods and services plunged in March by a record and imports declined by the most in 11 years as the coronavirus pandemic stymied trade and travel.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in January as exports fell but imports fell more. The politically sensitive trade gap with China widened.

President Donald Trump said he will sign the first phase of a trade deal with China on Jan. 15, sealing an agreement that sees the Asian nation raising purchases of American farm goods in exchange for lower tariffs on some of its products. The date has yet to be confirmed by the Chinese side.

The White House’s leading China hawk, trade adviser Peter Navarro, said Dec. 30 that a preliminary trade deal with Beijing is completed.

Freight stakeholders expressed strong support for the recent agreement reached by congressional Democrats and the Trump White House on a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico, as the U.S. House readies a vote on the deal before the end of the year.