Ireland ‘worst hit’ if US widens trade war front

Ireland will be the worst hit economy in the eurozone if the US-China trade spat broadens to envelop Europe, according to a leading economics group.

The assessment by Capital Economics in London finds that Ireland will be in the front line should the flare-up in the US-China tit-for-tat tariff strife encourage President Donald Trump to use the same tactics later this month in a simmering dispute with the EU.