President Donald Trump’s first appearances at the NATO and Group of Seven summits were a disservice to the US and the world. He betrayed no interest in maintaining America’s standing as the pre-eminent global leader, much less any aptitude for that task. The president is rattling the Western alliance in a way that can only delight its adversaries — Russia …

Italy’s main political parties are edging closer to agreement on a new electoral law, which could pave the way for an early election in the autumn. In theory, this ought to be good news: Italy faces formidable economic challenges; a newly-elected government would have a fresh mandate to deal with them. In practice, however, a snap election is an unnecessary …

For the first time ever, China is facing a dreaded prospect: the inverted bond yield curve. The phenomenon, in which long-term interest rates sink below short-term interest rates, has caused some consternation among market-watchers, who know it’s traditionally a harbinger of recession. The inversion suggests markets expect interest rates to fall eventually as monetary authorities move to stimulate economic activity. …