For almost two years, UniCredit chief executive Andrea Orcel has pursued a larger stake in Germany’s Commerzbank despite repeated political resistance in Berlin. What began as an unwelcome investment has gradually developed into a situation in which German officials and… Read More ›
Regulations & Legal
Low Gas Stocks Increase Europe’s Winter Price Risks
Europe is entering the final months before winter with natural gas inventories well below levels seen in recent years, increasing the possibility of higher prices if supplies remain constrained or temperatures become unusually cold. European Union storage facilities were around… Read More ›
New Proposed Semiconductor Tariffs by US Could Raise Costs Across US Technology
The United States is considering another round of tariffs on semiconductor imports, according to a report based on people familiar with discussions inside the administration. The proposal could extend beyond individual chips to products that contain semiconductors, including laptops, gaming… Read More ›
Meta’s AI Workforce Gamble Exposes the Limits of Automation
Meta’s attempt to rebuild its workforce around artificial intelligence has exposed a problem that extends far beyond one company: replacing human work with AI is considerably harder than reducing the number of people doing it. What began as an ambitious… Read More ›
Sticky Core Inflation Keeps the US Fed Under Pressure
The latest US inflation data have complicated the Federal Reserve’s path toward lower interest rates, with core personal consumption expenditures inflation holding at 3.3 percent in July, well above the central bank’s 2 percent objective. The broader personal consumption expenditures… Read More ›
AI Investment Could Raise Inflation Before Productivity Cuts Prices
Artificial intelligence is widely expected to make businesses more productive, reduce operating costs and eventually make many goods and services cheaper. Yet the technology could create a less obvious economic problem during the transition: it may raise inflation before its… Read More ›
Six EU Countries Push to Tax Oil War Windfalls
Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland and Austria are pushing the European Union toward a common response to an increasingly difficult political problem: oil companies are earning unusually large profits while European households and businesses are paying substantially more for fuel… Read More ›
US Tariffs Push Canada Toward a Costly Trade War
Canada and the United States are moving from prolonged tariff disputes toward a more direct trade confrontation after last-minute negotiations collapsed and Washington imposed a new 50 percent tariff on a range of Canadian goods. The breakdown is significant because… Read More ›
US Tariffs Turn Canada Trade Into A Strategic Confrontation
The United States has imposed 50 percent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods after Washington and Ottawa failed to reach a trade agreement, transforming a prolonged dispute between two closely integrated economies into a more serious confrontation. The immediate… Read More ›
Trump’s Iran Sanctions Threat Adds A Temporary Oil Risk Premium
Oil prices have risen as President Donald Trump threatens tougher sanctions against countries that continue trading with Iran, but the latest increase appears to be driven primarily by a temporary geopolitical risk premium rather than a fundamental collapse in global… Read More ›