Bloomberg A European proposal for a tax on financial transactions is trapped in limbo: financial realities won’t let it come to life while political opportunism is preventing a quick death. The tax initiative is being kept alive largely for domestic political reasons as German Chancellor Angela Merkel bids for a fourth term and France prepares for presidential elections this …

  CHICAGO / AP Shoppers in Chicago will soon have to pay a checkout tax of 7 cents per bag at all retailers in the city unless they bring their own bags to stores. The tax, which starts Wednesday, is the city’s latest attempt to cut down on the use of disposable bags, which are usually given for free at …

  Bloomberg It’s a good time to be Elon Musk. Shares of the billionaire’s Tesla Motors Inc. have surged 40 percent since December 1, putting the stock within reach of a 52-week high. The acquisition of SolarCity is complete. Musk’s sprawling Gigafactory is now producing battery cells. And the clean-energy evangelist has the ear of a surprising fellow in Washington: …