The finance ministers and central bankers from almost 190 countries who gathered in Bali for the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank (IMF) drove, I suspect, the final nail into the coffin of the notion of a synchronized pickup in global growth. In a tone that contrasted with the optimism of their spring meetings in April, ...

Few talked about Northern Ireland during the Brexit referendum. Yet it could now dash Prime Minister Theresa May’s hopes of a deal with the European Union (EU) and threaten 20 years of peace and prosperity in Ireland. A coalition of hardliners within May’s Conservatives and a small party from Northern Ireland that has provided her parliamentary majority since last year’s ...

If there’s an upside to a downturn it’s that short sellers get to make a buck. By borrowing shares, investors can sell what they don’t own. If the price falls, they buy the stock back at a cheaper level and return it to the lender (with interest), pocketing the difference. Assuming the shares fall enough and borrowing costs aren’t too ...