If you want to know where cryptocurrencies are in their development, keep an eye on fees. When a new “investment” comes along, investors are often too busy counting their anticipated bounty to care about cost. Shrewd purveyors predictably seize the opportunity to charge excessive fees. But reality inevitably falls short of investors’ expectations, and the focus eventually turns to how ...

One of the more mystifying features of recent economic debate is how many people seem unbothered by the very real possibility of an old-fashioned trade war. Donald Trump, of course, relishes the possibility of such a battle — as he would, no doubt, any war he didn’t have to fight personally. Naturally, he’s convinced that the US would ‘win’ one. ...

The retail industry has plenty of reason to be upbeat in these early months of 2018. The holiday season was a roaring one, and Amazon.com Inc. didn’t claim all the spoils. Many big-name chains fared well, and consumer sentiment remains strong, suggesting the good times will keep rolling. But stepping back for a longer view of retail’s prospects, I’d caution ...