German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is optimistic that the European Union can agree a trade deal with the United States by the end of this month at the latest, he told lawmakers on Wednesday.

European stocks advanced on Thursday, supported by gains in mining shares, as investors looked for signs of progress in trade talks between the United States and the European Union.

The European Union reported major progress in trade talks, signaling a deal with the U.S. may be imminent before a freshly revised Aug. 1 deadline.

President Trump’s administration once promised 90 deals in 90 days. When it comes to the European Union, it may be more of a framework.

The European Union said it was working on sealing a trade deal with the United States by the end of the month, while U.S. President Donald Trump promised that he would deliver further tariff notices on unnamed countries on Wednesday.

Israel has agreed to allow in fuel for the first time since March; the E.U. will have a presence at border crossings.

The US will impose a tariff of 35 per cent on Canadian goods from August 1, Donald Trump said in a letter late on Thursday. The US president separately told NBC News on Thursday that any countries that had not received a letter from him setting out new tariff regimes would face so-called blanket tariffs of 15-20 per cent.

President Donald Trump threatened to double the baseline universal tariff to 20%, citing record stock gains to dispel fears that such a move would hammer the global economy. Even as financial markets barely budged on the news,