US trade officials back tariffs

Shares of South Korean appliance makers Samsung and LG have risen as investors shrugged off a recommendation by US trade officials that US president Donald Trump impose tariffs on foreign-made washing machines they say are undercutting domestic manufacturers.

Commissioners from the US International Trade Commission, at a hearing in Washington on Tuesday, offered a range of choices within a three-year quota system for Trump, who is expected to issue a final ruling by early next year. South Korea’s trade ministry said it may consider filing a complaint with the World Trade Organisation after a decision is reached.