The steady liberalization of global trade slowed in the six months to mid-May according to WTO data for the G20. There was a 20% rise in restrictive measures vs. an unchanged level of liberalizing measures in the six months mid-May 31 vs. 2017, though on a net basis trade barriers are still being reduced to the tune of 17% of restrictions. The second half of 2018 may lead to a marked deterioration. Restrictions on trade worth $74 billion occurred in the past six months compared to the China-U.S. tariff spat that will apply duties to at least $100 billion of products by the end of August....