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France, Europe need Macron to succeed

Since becoming France’s president last year, Emmanuel Macron has made bold moves. He has modernized the economy by relaxing labor rules, reducing taxes for entrepreneurs, and making the higher education system more meritocratic. His government’s new budget includes the biggest tax cuts introduced in France in more than a decade. Yet the public remains unimpressed. Macron’s approval rating has been ...

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India’s shadow-bank crisis stems from old problem

When one of India’s largest shadow bankers — an institution with 169 subsidiaries that calls itself Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS) — admitted to a series of defaults last week, Indian markets came close to a crisis. Fearing that a prolonged investment slowdown would intensify, the government invoked a little-known clause in India’s Companies Act and appointed a new ...

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Funding Circle’s hopes get a reality check

Investors’ pens are hovering a bit longer before writing checks to fintech startups. Funding Circle Holdings Plc was once tipped to be valued at as much as 2 billion pounds ($2.6 billion) in its initial public offering (IPO). When it made its market debut last week, the online lending marketplace weighed in at a skinnier 1.5 billion pounds. That’s still ...

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