“Where does an 800-pound gorilla sit?” goes the riddle. “Wherever it likes,” is the answer. Norway’s $1 trillion wealth fund risks throwing its weight around in ways that exceed its authority, interfering in the sovereignty of other nations. This year, the fund has voted against remuneration proposals at more of the companies it holds stakes in, its global head of …

It’s taken decades but finally, Japan’s doors are swinging open for private equity. The country’s corporate giants have long been a coveted target for buyout firms seeking to put large pools of capital to work. Money, though, hasn’t been enough to overcome the traditional Japanese hostility to takeovers. Until recently, that is. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s exhortations for improved corporate …

California’s energy future is visible in the underground garage of a luxury condominium that rises behind the façade of a former San Francisco muffler shop. The parking spaces come equipped with charging stations for electric cars — an amenity that, as of next year, the city will require. The city law, which mandates that at least 10 percent of parking …