Investors grapple with tariff-driven economic threat as market swings persist

Investors hoping for an end to wild market swings were reminded on Thursday that fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump's shifting tariff plans remains a threat to earnings and the economy, and could deal yet more punishment to equities. Relief over Trump's move on Wednesday to pull back on some of his heftiest global tariffs proved somewhat short-lived. Investors were unsettled by the escalating trade battle with China, the second-biggest provider of U.S. imports, while the president's 90-day pause on hefty levies elsewhere meant the tariff cloud was not going away anytime soon. "The worst-case scenario on trade has been…