Opinion

  With free trade under fire from the incoming administration and under question from many other quarters, it is U.S. trade relations with China and Mexico that have been getting the most attention and criticism. That makes sense, given that those are two of this country’s three biggest trading partners — and the third is Canada, which is hard to …

  The pressure for social networks to censor the content that appears on them just won’t cease, and the networks are bending. Censorship, however, is not what users want. Nor is it technically possible, even if the platforms won’t admit it. The European Union is pushing Facebook, Twitter and other social networks to comply with member states’ hate speech laws. …

  Trust is extremely valuable for markets and the economy. In its absence, though, technology might prove to be the next best thing. Doing business would be really easy if people could all trust each other. In rural parts of Japan, for example, it’s common to see unattended produce stands where farmers leave fruits and vegetables for sale. Customers pay …

  This week, the European Union’s finance ministers granted some new debt relief to Greece. The new “short-term” measures are better than nothing — but they’re less than a convincing solution to a problem that has dragged on far too long. The deal, sketched out and agreed to in principle earlier this year, should help the Greek government convince voters …

  Syrian army continues to make gains in Aleppo. On Wednesday regime forces took control of the Aleppo’s Old City as rebels retreated. Assad forces have retaken more than three-quarters of opposition territory since the offensive launched in November. More than 80,000 people have fled their homes in eastern neighbourhoods. After three weeks of fighting that has witnessed unprecedented aggression, …

  These are tough times for Theresa May on the road to Brexit. The prime minister is facing a rebellion from lawmakers in her own Conservative Party over her secrecy about strategy, while her lawyers had a difficult first day as the Supreme Court began considering if she or Parliament has the right to start the exit talks. A Labour …

  It sounds like something out of a dystopian novel: The fresh fish in many of Beijing’s biggest supermarkets simply disappeared last week, as if summoned to another realm. Social media buzzed with alarm and paranoia. The Beijing News placed a photo of an empty aquarium and an underemployed fishmonger on its front page. The truth turned out to be …

  Have you watched that new video of Amazon Go, the store in test mode in Seattle where you just pick up stuff (prepared food and drinks, mostly) and walk out? I have, again and again. It’s pretty hypnotic, especially with the sound off. The gist of it, in case you don’t feel like watching right now, is that you …

  How China manages its currency is likely to be the global economic story of 2017. Despite the government’s best efforts, capital continues to leave the country at a brisk pace, with a balance-of-payments deficit through the third quarter of $469 billion. Attempts to arrest this flow probably won’t work. But they may well create new risks. Capital outflows began …

  Last month’s Circles drama highlights the struggle Jack Ma’s empire faces in expanding its financial services business. To recap, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and its affiliate Zhejiang Ant Small & Micro Financial Services Group Co. added social features to Alipay’s smartphone app to help promote engagement. In theory, more engagement should lead to greater use of its marquee function, …