State media signaled Thursday that China may be open to entering trade talks with the U.S., boosting hopes that the world’s two largest economies will be able to strike a deal on tariffs.Any signs that trade tensions are easing would be good news for investors,

Companies like Alibaba that built China’s world-leading online shopping sector are now helping its sellers find markets beyond the United States.

The U.S. economy shrank 0.3% from January through March, the first drop in three years. Gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — was down from 2.4% in the last three months of 2024.