The Trump administration has been saying that the two countries are engaged in talks to resolve the dispute, but Beijing asserts that no such discussions are happening.

The Times heard from hundreds of American companies, most of them small businesses, that face a reckoning because of President Trump’s steep import taxes.

President Trump said that “we’re meeting with China” on tariffs, comments aimed at soothing jittery financial markets. But Chinese officials say no talks have taken place.

The markets face a baffling prospect: continual disruptions from the White House with potentially severe consequences.

An American business group said that Chinese officials had been surveying companies about American products that are crucial to their supply chains.

The S&P 500 is 4 percent higher so far this week with Wall Street grasping for scraps of information about tariffs and other crucial issues that can shift daily.

The U.S. imposed sky-high tariffs on solar imports from four countries, but it’s unclear if they will be enough to fight back Chinese competitors.

PepsiCo’s earnings call pointed to anxious consumers as to why sales had slowed, echoing comments by Chipotle and Procter & Gamble.

A group advising President Trump on energy policy is seeking meetings with Japan and South Korea’s trade ministries, with the hope of announcing progress in early June.

Los mercados se moderaron después de que funcionarios chinos rebatieran los comentarios del presidente Trump y otros en su gobierno que sugerían que los aranceles podrían suavizarse con negociaciones.