Donald Trump's insistence that "spoiled" Japan imports more US rice is adding to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's problems ahead of elections that could sink his premiership after less than a year in office.

Global stocks advanced on Thursday, underpinned by optimism around artificial intelligence and the prospect of upcoming interest rate cuts, while investors kept a cautious eye on U.S. President Donald Trump's ongoing assault on international trade.

The US has imposed new tariffs on imports from seven countries, including the Philippines and Algeria, as part of Trump's drive to reduce the trade deficit and promote fair trade.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened Brazil with a crippling tariff of 50% starting August 1, according to a letter he sent to the country’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

By Rae Wee SINGAPORE (Reuters) -Asian stocks rose slightly on Thursday, riding on optimism from Nvidia's brief rise to a world-record $4 trillion valuation and as investors largely shrugged off U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff salvos.

President Donald Trump's threats to impose high tariffs on countries make U.S. trading partners and investors nervous. But his sector tariffs could hurt consumers and businesses more in the long run.

In his new round of tariffs being announced this week, Trump is essentially tethering the entire world economy to his instinctual belief that import taxes will deliver factory jobs and stronger growth in the U.S., rather than the inflation and slowdown predicted by many economists.

U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff delay provided some hope to major trade partners Japan, South Korea and the European Union that deals to ease duties could still be reached, while bewildering some smaller exporters such as South Africa and leaving companies with no clarity on the path forward.