Brexit sceptics win battle but will lose the war 24 Jan 2017 Pro-EU campaigners succeeded in their quest to give parliament a say on triggering Brexit. The catch is that Prime Minister Theresa May will probably win a vote. Besides, her opponents would struggle to prove suboptimal outcomes like EEA membership are better than May's vision.
Judge, not Trump, kills U.S. health insurer love-in 23 Jan 2017 Aetna's $34 bln deal for rival Humana was crushed on antitrust grounds in court. That bodes poorly for Anthem's star-crossed $46 bln Cigna bid. It's a mercy killing for the firms' shareholders, who watched UnitedHealth, which sat out consolidation, gobble up market share.
France’s Macron is gifted risky centre ground 23 Jan 2017 The presidential hopeful looks increasingly like the lone mainstream candidate in the country's coming election. It's a huge opportunity to attract voters turned off by more radical solutions from the left and right. Yet appearing conventional carries its own dangers.
Five things Davos Man will get wrong this year 23 Jan 2017 Each January the politicians, financiers and company bosses who gather in the mountains offer a snapshot of elite thinking. However, this "Davos consensus" is often wide of the mark. From Donald Trump to Xi Jinping, here are five widely-held views that will probably be mistaken.
Foxconn’s $7 bln U.S. bet goes beyond politics 23 Jan 2017 Building a huge American factory would fit neatly with President Trump's push to create domestic jobs. That could help the Taiwanese iPhone maker navigate trade disputes. Grabbing a share of the U.S. television market could also help revive recently acquired subsidiary Sharp.
Trump protectionism double-down faces harsh reality 20 Jan 2017 The new U.S. president echoed his campaign rhetoric by presenting a dark picture of "American carnage" and decay at his inauguration. Ending overseas assistance to focus on growth at home is his remedy. But he also needs to boost exports, which requires other countries' help.
HK exchange seeks to shed old-economy dependency 20 Jan 2017 The Hong Kong bourse wants to shed its overdependence on real estate and finance. A proposed new board with lower entry barriers and weighted voting rights may lure hot startup tickers. But getting off the ground fast will be tricky given unresolved issues on the main board.
Trump takes office more as middle manager than CEO 19 Jan 2017 The president-elect has weighed in on place settings for his inauguration, among other insignificant matters. Trump also has been meeting with game-show hosts and municipal officials while picking fights with TV and film stars. Here's hoping he grows into the big promotion soon.
Guest view: Fixing finance to repair U.S. roads 19 Jan 2017 Plenty of federal programs exist to help leverage private funds eager to invest in infrastructure and make President-elect Donald Trump's $1 trln plan work, argues lobbyist James Courtovich. What's missing is cooperation in Washington to hold municipal bond issuers accountable.
Mnuchin has his work cut out on art of persuasion 19 Jan 2017 The U.S. Treasury nominee was grilled at a Senate hearing about using offshore havens and his chairmanship of a bank that Democrats called a foreclosure machine. He parried critics well enough on the day but to sell a tax overhaul to lawmakers will demand a much stronger pitch.
Viewsroom: Davos goes topsy-turvy 19 Jan 2017 Team Trump is AWOL at the World Economic Forum's annual alpine shindig while Theresa May's Brexit plan has people on edge. That left it to China's Xi Jinping to defend globalization. Elsewhere, U.S. bank earnings disappoint. And Snapchat considers making investor rights disappear.
Samsung leads Elliott outside its comfort zone 19 Jan 2017 A graft scandal and ongoing probe of heir Jay Y. Lee cast uncertainty over the U.S. fund's second big showdown in South Korea. Elliott wants to restructure Samsung Electronics, where it has a $1.2 bln stake. But the activist may now have limited power to influence the outcome.
Wilbur Ross helpfully plays Trump trade translator 18 Jan 2017 The commerce secretary nominee played down the possibility of a trade war. Instead, Ross, a billionaire investor, focused on practices like steel dumping by China. That's the broadly preferred path in Congress. NAFTA talks will reveal if everyone is speaking the same language.
A Trump FAQ for American business leaders in Davos 18 Jan 2017 The virtual absence of senior Republicans and top dogs from the soon-to-be Trump administration at the World Economic Forum leaves U.S. executives to field queries about the country's direction from their worried global counterparts. Breakingviews offers a helpful cheat sheet.
French Socialists compete to be first among losers 18 Jan 2017 The winner of the imminent primaries for the ruling party is unlikely to make it to the second round of the Gallic presidential race. Yet the economic policies of the also-ran may determine whether the National Front’s Marine Le Pen gets through to the final face-off.
Goldman Sachs and Trump scratch each other’s backs 18 Jan 2017 The president-elect hired the bank's president, Gary Cohn, and impact-investing head Dina Powell. The Q4 trading boost after Trump's election boosted Goldman's earnings and bonus pool. Fold in layoffs and the average Goldmanite will barely notice the firm's 9 pct revenue drop.
Europe leaves Italian bullying to markets 18 Jan 2017 The European Commission wants Italy to cut its budget deficit. But the cut looks gentle compared with Brussels' rules, probably because elections are looming and anti-establishment forces gathering. In any case, as ECB bond-buying ends, markets will be less lenient.
GM rolls Trump-friendly buzzword off factory floor 17 Jan 2017 The automaker recently harangued by the president-elect for building cars in Mexico is bragging about "insourcing" 6,500 jobs to America. CEO Mary Barra isn't the first to use the term, but is ahead of the curve as more firms try to curry favor with the next commander-in-chief.
Trump nominee spreads insider-trading disease 17 Jan 2017 Tom Price, who has been tapped to be health and human services secretary, is raising new conflicts-of-interest concerns. He bought shares in Zimmer Biomet and other companies while working on bills affecting them. It reflects badly on him, the president-elect and Congress.
Cox: Quest begins for immaculate M&A conception 17 Jan 2017 Dealmakers, many of them gathering in Davos this week, will be on the hunt for mergers that can keep the boom rolling while satisfying President-elect Donald Trump's obsession with jobs. That means synergies are out and "transformation" is in. Shareholders may pay the price.