Britain’s retail sector isn’t saving the best for last. Next Plc has kicked off the post-Christmas reporting season with what looks like a pretty decent performance. True, sales in stores were slightly worse than expected, while its forecast for full-year profit has been trimmed slightly. But that’s due to higher sales of lower margin items, such as beauty, and better-than-expected ...

A pleasing synchronicity is edging back into the world economy, at least in terms of monetary policy. Let’s hope it’s not too late. Wasn’t the “synchronised global upswing” narrative – all the rage in 2017 – retired last year? That doesn’t mean courses can’t be recalibrated. The signal late last week of a pause in interest-rate hikes from the Federal ...

Britain’s parliament hasn’t yet voted on Theresa May’s Brexit deal or on whether it still has confidence in her government. The first will happen on January 15 and if, as expected, she loses, the Labour Party is threatening to hold a vote on the latter soon after. But two votes that members of parliament have held so far this week ...