Dominican Republic economy faces tricky crosswinds 30 Dec 2016 The Caribbean nation of 10 mln has notched the strongest GDP growth in the Western Hemisphere for the third year running - over 6 pct for 2016. Low oil prices, pro-business reforms, U.S. growth and an influx of cash from Venezuela all helped. The perfect storm won't keep blowing.
Hadas: Russian Revolution won’t be the last 30 Dec 2016 Soviet communism initially looked like the future, but rapidly became a cruel failure. Its disappearance left big-government democratic capitalism as the sole surviving system. A century later, that hybrid model is now under global threat. It might not last another century.
Trump’s job spin pales beside Obama’s recovery 29 Dec 2016 Some 8,000 new roles at Sprint and OneWeb touted by the U.S. president-elect already were planned, part of a bigger pledge by investor SoftBank. Economic activity is creating 180,000 positions monthly. To keep that going much longer will require more than Trump's double-talk.
Hadas: Four resolutions for a more humane economy 3 Jan 2017 Brexit and Donald Trump’s election are part of a rebellion against the social and economic establishment. Changes are needed to prevent a dangerous disintegration. Here are some suggestions: forget GDP, fight alienation, support communities and promote local decision-making.
American inequality will widen under Trump in 2017 29 Dec 2016 A populist wave sent the real-estate developer to the White House. But his economic policies will help working-class folks the least. His tax cuts, repatriation of corporate cash and infrastructure push will line the pockets of the rich before trickling down to the less well-off.
Maduro will survive, just, on Venezuelan tightrope 28 Dec 2016 The economy is a wreck, but the country's inept leader has probably done enough to avoid being forced from office in 2017, unless by fellow Chavistas. A bond swap and army-led food programs helped. His gutting of institutions, though, risks violence that may yet be his undoing.
Europe’s best antidote to populism is unpopularism 28 Dec 2016 Parties that promised to take on the elite had a roaring 2016. Even so, the withering of the moderate centre isn’t inevitable. In Greece the pendulum is swinging away from radical government. Liberals with sound economic policies can win – if they’re willing to make enemies.
Macri sacrifice of finance chief buys limited time 27 Dec 2016 The Argentine president has scapegoated Alfonso Prat-Gay for the economy's failure to take off. His exit won't reduce 40 pct inflation and a bloated deficit. Macri's policies are sensible but not popular. The margin for error before October's midterm elections just narrowed.
Deutsche wins biggest in U.S. regulatory casino 23 Dec 2016 The German bank can weather a $7.2 bln hit for mortgage bond mis-selling. Credit Suisse's settlement means it and Deutsche now have similar capital ratios, but the latter had more to lose. Barclays' lack of a deal reflects its pluck - but possibly a bigger balance sheet thwack.
Carl Icahn tops Trump’s conflicted shadow council 22 Dec 2016 The activist will be an off-the-books adviser on regulatory reform. Like the execs on the president-elect's policy forum, Icahn won't have to disclose when his recommendations and his financial interests coincide. Unfettered business oligarchy is no way to run a government.
New White House council muddies Trump trade policy 22 Dec 2016 The U.S. president-elect chose China critic Peter Navarro to head a trade advisory group. Yet Commerce nominee Wilbur Ross is set to lead on such issues. There's also the U.S. trade office. The regime risks speaking in multiple voices and confusing nations negotiating with them.
Biggest financial merger of 2017: SEC and CFTC 21 Dec 2016 Donald Trump has vowed to cut the red tape in Washington. America's labyrinth of financial regulators makes a fecund target. But crunching the two main market watchdogs, due to their heavy entrenchment in Congress, will take all of the president-elect's negotiating skills.
CEOs joining Trump: prepare for board of hundreds 20 Dec 2016 Former P&G boss Bob McDonald was used to dealing with thousands of employees. But his corporate years didn't teach him to work with partisan lawmakers. As the U.S. president-elect loads his cabinet with executives, they can learn from McDonald's time as head of Veterans Affairs.
CEOs’ Washington success rests on ceding control 20 Dec 2016 Donald Trump and his cabinet of billionaire bosses want to shake up government. It's harder in practice, as ex-P&G chief Bob McDonald found as Obama's head of Veterans Affairs. He helped restore trust, but progress required adjusting to wielding less power than CEOs are used to.
EU’s de-stressed insurer test is self-defeating 16 Dec 2016 Life insurers look weak in their first stress test since so-called Solvency II reforms. Regulatory carve-outs mean they may not necessarily need capital. But the anonymous nature of the exercise means that investors can't be certain which are the ones to avoid.
Energy Dept choice pits Trump against bureaucracy 16 Dec 2016 Rick Perry ran for the White House promising to dismantle the federal energy agency. Now the president-elect wants him to run it. The DOE is already resisting a Trump request to list staffers working on climate change. Animosity from the "deep state" could slow-roll his agenda.
Breakdown: Dodd-Frank, Trumped 15 Dec 2016 The U.S. president-elect wants to unwind some post-crisis financial rules. Given their slim Senate margin and regulators' support for key reforms, Republicans may have to pick their battles. Tougher capital requirements would be tough to roll back, but the Volcker Rule may go.
A teachable moment in for-profit education 15 Dec 2016 DeVry is paying $100 mln to settle fraud accusations under a crackdown by the Obama administration. For-profit colleges can expect looser oversight when the founder of Trump U. takes office. DeVry's post-election stock surge suggests investors are discounting regulatory risk.
Viewsroom: Can Big Oil’s man be diplomat-in-chief? 15 Dec 2016 Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state, is well versed in international dealmaking. But he's too close to Russia even for some Senate Republicans. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs shuffles the top ranks and Wells Fargo's regulatory hubris comes back to bite.
Cox: Taiwan deserves better than Trump’s drive-by 15 Dec 2016 In the days since the U.S. president-elect trashed protocol and spoke to President Tsai, it has become apparent that Asia's shining example of vibrant democracy got taken for a ride. A flicker of pride can't offset being played as a pawn in Trump's antagonistic approach to China.