Business News at a Glance

Trump to Impose Stiff and Sweeping Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will impose stiff tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, making good on a key campaign promise and rattling stock markets as the prospect of a global trade fight appeared imminent. In a hastily arranged meeting with industry executives, Trump said he would formally sign the trade measures next week and promised they would be in effect “for a long period of time.” The action, which came against the wishes of Trump’s pro-trade advisers, would impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum.

Facebook Lets Ads Bare a Man’s Chest. A Woman’s Back Is Another Matter.

Facebook prohibits adult content in ads, including depictions of people in explicit or suggestive positions” and “activities that are overly suggestive or sexually provocative.” The rules also extend to “implied nudity,” “excessive visible skin” and images that are too focused on individual body parts “even if not explicitly sexual in nature.” On Facebook’s website, all the examples showed women. Facebook processes millions of ads a week through a mix of automation and human review, what is acceptable and what isn’t, and who is making those decisions? For advertisers, debating what constitutes “adult content” with Facebooks human reviewers can be frustrating.

New Life for Deal to Acquire Weinstein Co.

In a surprise twist in the continuing saga of The Weinstein Co., an investor group said Thursday it had reached an agreement to buy most of the assets of the near-bankrupt studio, just days after a deal had been declared all but dead. According to a person briefed on the deal, an agreement will call for the investors group to pay off The Weinstein Co.'s debt, which totals roughly $225 million. In return, the group would receive the majority of the studio’s assets. Those assets would be used to start a new entertainment firm, which most of The Weinstein Co.'s 150 employees would be invited to join.

Ford Bet on Aluminum Trucks, but Is Still Looking for Payoff

Three years ago, Ford Motor made a daring gamble when it started selling a new version of its F-150 pickup truck made mainly of aluminum rather than steel. Ford expected aluminum to give its truck a critical advantage in an era of tougher fuel-economy standards and rising gasoline prices. But the revolutionary switch seems to be giving Ford less of an edge than it had hoped. With moderate gasoline prices, fuel economy is no longer a persuasive factor for many truck buyers. Moreover, the lightweight metal has become one of several factors weighing down Ford’s profitability.

Georgia Lawmakers Pass Bill That Stings Delta Over NRA Position

Georgia lawmakers approved a bill on Thursday that stripped a tax break proposal highly coveted by Delta Air Lines — the most stinging punishment that America’s pro-gun forces have leveled so far on one of the many corporations recalibrating their positions on firearms after the Florida high school massacre. The $50 million sales tax exemption on jet fuel that was sought by Delta, one of Georgia’s biggest employers, had been included in a broader tax-relief bill. But a number of Georgia Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, removed the perk as retribution for Delta’s decision to end a promotional discount for members of the National Rifle Association.

China’s Parliament Is a Growing Billionaires’ Club

In a country where the Communist Party makes all the big decisions, Chinese lawmakers hold very little political power. But they have plenty of money — $650 billion of it — and that is growing. According to the Hurun Report, a research organization in Shanghai that tracks the wealthy in China, the net worth of 153 of the richest members of China’s Parliament and its advisory body amounts to $650 billion, up by nearly a third from a year ago. That is just below Switzerland’s annual economic output. While President Xi Jinping has pledged to close the income gap, the wealth of the nation’s lawmakers has kept soaring.