Opinion

Robert Lighthizer’s nomination as U.S. trade representative made the steel industry happy. Both the Steel Manufacturers Association and the American Iron and Steel Institute put out statements lauding the choice, with the latter citing his “dedication” to the steel industry. U.S. Steel Corp has been Lighthizer’s most prominent client as a lawyer in recent years. Lighthizer’s confirmation earlier this month …

The Manchester terror attack by an alleged IS ‘soldier’ will accelerate the push by the US and its allies to capture the terror group’s strongholds in Mosul and Raqqah. But it should also focus some urgent discussions about a post-IS strategy for stabilizing Iraq and Syria. For all President Trump’s bombast about obliterating the IS, the Raqqah campaign has been …

India’s $103 billion Tata Group, the maker of Tetley Tea, went on an extended beverage break in October last year, when it acrimoniously fired its chairman. The ensuing battle for control was distracting, but ultimately proved to be a storm in a teacup. Now that the saga is over, Tata Sons Ltd, the group’s unlisted holding company, is going back …

British police were justifiably furious when evidence from their investigation into the Manchester terrorist attack found its way into news reports. The leaks undermine the investigation and the confidence of victims and witnesses, whose cooperation is crucial. The immediate consequence is that Manchester police have stopped sharing information about their investigation with U.S. officials, who are widely believed to the …

The U.S. signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal last year, then decided not to implement it. The 11 other signatories have given themselves until November to decide whether to go ahead anyway. They shouldn’t need half that long. The deal as it stands is far better than none. Contrary to warnings from some quarters, America’s absence needn’t kill the agreement. …

Three years ago, Narendra Modi was sworn in as prime minister of the Republic of India amid much hope and tremendous expectation. A good portion of the population remains optimistic that he’ll fulfill his promises to unshackle the Indian economy. But Modi’s tenure cannot yet be judged a success for one central reason: He’s signally failed to create jobs for …

As recently as two years ago, owning shares in a bad bank charged with cleaning up nonperforming loans in China probably seemed like a good bet. Not so any more, at least for China Cinda Asset Management Co. The Beijing-based firm’s costs are rising and soured-loan growth has leveled off, or in some cases, dropped at the banks Cinda purchases …

Innovation, everybody hopes, will rescue the world from economic stagnation. I’m not so sure. The extent to which an innovation is significant depends on the degree to which it alters existing activity or the performance of a function. It must create related and ancillary activities that in turn lead to employment, wealth and other discoveries in a virtuous cycle. It …

Many analysts have argued that the next FBI director shouldn’t be a politician. But try telling that to Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), who has been pressing Senate Democratic leaders to consider former GOP congressman Mike Rogers (Mich.) for the post. Ruppersberger told me that in conversations with Democratic leadership, he had endorsed Rogers’s ‘integrity, competence and patriotism.’ Rogers, a …

A spat is developing at the European Central Bank about how — and how soon — the institution should signal its intention to scale back its monetary stimulus program. Data buried in the central bank’s most recent survey of companies suggests a rebound in inflation may inflame the debate sooner rather than later. Peter Praet, the bank’s chief economist, said …