The hunt for a scapegoat for the collapse of the merger talks between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV and Renault SA is in full cry. There’s furious leaking on all sides: The Italians blame the French, the French blame Fiat and the reluctance of Renault’s partner Nissan Motor Co Ltd. to bless the deal. A lot of people on both sides ...

Believe what you want to believe: Japan’s machines are humming, or heading for trouble. There’s support for both points of view. For months, Japan watchers have been waiting for business activity to drop. However, core machine orders, which typically point to future spending, have continued to rise, as have industrial output and capital spending. Machinery orders in April came in ...

Theresa May will be remembered as the prime minister who couldn’t deliver Brexit. But she also leaves her successor another testing legacy: her failure to confront what she has called the UK’s “burning injustices.” Britain is a rich country by any definition, but it scores badly on a range of social measures. Income inequality is higher than in many comparable ...