The agreements have been overshadowed by U.S. firms' warnings that the tariffs will affect their bottom lines and prolong uncertainty in the economy.

Trade deals have never been more in the headlines, as Donald Trump continues to threaten countries with higher tariffs until they sign new agreements with the US. But how exactly are trade deals negotiated between nations,

U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade deal with Japan has sparked fresh optimism that the global economy will manage to avoid getting hit with extremely elevated tariffs, even as many U.S. trading partners still don’t have agreements.