Opinion

If Mark Fields’ theory is correct, his industry faces novel challenges. His theory about the changing role of driving in Americans’ lives is one reason Ford Motor Co. now describes itself as an “automotive and mobility company.” Fields, Ford’s CEO, remembers a time when, on the day a teenager became old enough for a driver’s license, he or she made …

There is a consensus that the attacks in the Belgian capital on Tuesday may not have a long-term impact on EU markets, but should such assaults continue unrestrained they could result in hitting some key sectors such as travel and tourism. Belgium’s main stock index ended more or less flat on the day of attack and rose 0.2 percent on …

Bloomberg Acclaimed Brazilian actor and director Claudio Botelho is used to enthusiastic audiences. But bringing the house down mid-performance was not in the script earlier this week, when Botelho — who is currently on stage playing a theater troupe impresario — turned to the audience and ad- libbed a few quips about a “crooked former president” and a “thieving president” …

Most economists are tempted to rely on incremental analysis to explain the spread of negative interest rates and their implications for the global economy and markets. This is understandable, yet the inclination to focus primarily on marginal changes could be overly partial and even misleading — especially for market participants who must navigate the unintended consequences of sub-zero yields, including …

China and the United States are almost finished with negotiations over a key investment treaty, former Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming said on Wednesday. If successfully concluded, the bilateral investment treaty (BIT) could substantially increase Chinese and U.S. investments in each other’s markets. A BIT between China and the United States has been in the works for eight years. In …

One of the biggest stories in science right now is the fight over the Crispr patents. Crispr is a gene editing technique that promises to allow previously unthinkable feats of bio-engineering. It was discovered in stages, like most scientific breakthroughs, by multiple teams working at various universities and research institutes around the world. The final, key advancements were made more-or-less …

The value of catastrophic events is that they can help people face up to problems that are otherwise impossible to address. Maybe this will be the case with Tuesday’s horrific attacks in Brussels. Europe is facing a security threat that’s unprecedented in its modern history, at a time when its common currency, border security and intelligence-sharing are all under severe …

The terrorist attacks in Brussels have once again evoked the international resolve to defeat terrorism, defend freedom and human rights not only in Europe but also around the world. Posing a new challenge, perpetrators vented their anger over the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, the most wanted suspect in November’s attacks in Paris. They seem to send a vengeful message that …

The reaction of financial markets to the terrorist attacks in Brussels on Tuesday was calm and mature, showing that they have learned the lessons of such tragedies, which have become all too common. Nonetheless, markets will find it increasingly difficult to price the longer- term effects, including unusual political developments that could affect the global economy. The markets’ relatively muted …

Here we go again. Speaking on NBC’s Today show shortly after deadly terrorist attacks in Brussels, Donald Trump said the U.S. should “close up our borders until we figure out what’s going on.” The Trumpian rhetoric is now familiar: His proposal is both shockingly aggressive — it was accompanied by another call to “expand” American law to permit the torture …