Opinion

The idea of rerunning the UK’s historic 52%-to-48% 2016 vote to leave the European Union (EU) is understandably tempting for those in the 48% camp. Consider what has happened since: nail-biting negotiations with the EU, polls that show growing Brexit remorse, and evidence that the UK economy is suffering from uncertainty the vote has brought. The main UK political parties …

Central banks and cryptocurrencies seem to come from different planets. While monetary authorities are the guardians of price and financial stability, the likes of bitcoin and ethereum have ignited a speculative frenzy mirroring the tulip mania of the 17th century. Yet, from Singapore to Sweden, central bankers are taking a close interest in digital currencies. They are right to do …

Now that the US Federal Communications Commission has killed net neutrality, what happens next — assuming appeals fail — depends on the economic incentives for internet service providers. These incentives make it unlikely that there will be significant changes to the user’s experience. In at least two ways, the internet in the US wasn’t completely neutral even while the 2015 …

When historians examine President Trump’s tax programme, they will surely be struck by a large and momentous contradiction. Although the nation faces endless budget deficits — and although the president purports to speak about the future — his tax programme does little or nothing to curb long-term deficits and, arguably, might make them worse. It is said that the tax …

Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man, can consistently squeeze more than $10 a barrel in refining margins out of crude. Expect no less from him when it comes to monetizing Reliance Industries Ltd.’s investment in Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., the fourth-generation mobile network that’s taken the nation’s digital landscape by storm. What kind of an equity market valuation should Ambani put …

After years of talks, central banks and financial regulators have finally agreed on the Basel III rules for bank capital. That’s a good thing, mostly. The deal improves the regulatory framework and will give banks greater clarity about what’s required. It’s also a timely reminder that international policy cooperation can work. There’s a catch, however: The new rules have been …

At a European Union summit this week, the bloc’s leaders are expected to formally declare that the Brexit talks can move forward. Not a moment too soon. Britain and the EU have spent 18 months since the UK’s decision to quit avoiding the main issues — namely, their future trading relationship and a plan for getting from here to there. …

The question of nature versus nurture is an important one, but also an incredibly delicate one. How much of the disparities we see in society are fuelled by a lack of good education, social influences and role models, and how much are due to natural ability? Given that people in advanced countries spend multiple decades of their life in school, …

If you can’t beat them, regulate them. That sounds like a pretty good mantra for governments the world over trying to wrap their heads around this tamagotchi of finance better known as bitcoin. South Korea is the latest to propose cryptocurrency measures after a surge in trading started to ring alarm bells. The fact that its citizens were paying close …

Facebook is projected to boost sales by 46 percent and double net income, but make no mistake: It had a terrible year. Despite its financial performance, the social media giant is facing a reckoning in 2018 as regulators close in on several fronts. The main issue cuts to the core of the company itself: Rather than ‘building global community,’ as …