The German government’s 54 billion-euro ($60 billion) climate deal, approved after about 20 hours of overnight negotiations, is a typical product of the reluctant coalition run by Chancellor Angela Merkel: It achieves a balance of interests and little more. If German voters want a more ambitious plan, and there are indications that they do, they’ll have to wait until after ...

As Britain appears to be careering towards a no-deal Brexit, Next Plc Chief Executive Simon Wolfson is trying to reassure investors that the company should come out largely unscathed. That sounds overly optimistic, but Next has less to fear than most retailers. Wolfson, a Conservative Party peer and well-known Brexit supporter, says that as long as Britain’s ports operate effectively, ...

The continuing debate about the future of banking since the 2008 financial crisis has intensified recently on reports that banks are cutting jobs and slashing pay. While the outlook for bankers is precarious, the same can’t be said for the banks. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has featured prominently in the chatter about cutbacks, and not just because of its pre-eminence ...