It’s become a favorite holiday tradition around these parts: wait for the National Retail Federation annual holiday spending forecast each October, then write a few choice words about why their methodology is awful and their forecast track record is even worse. I overlooked the Federation’s Oct. 3 forecast this year, as the 2016 presidential election obscured everything else. That …

  With US President-elect Donald Trump vowing on Tuesday to scrap the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the deal’s future hangs in the balance. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pointed out that TPP without the US would be “meaningless”. The US and Japan are the core members of TPP that encompasses 40% of the global economy. Trump’s announcement to abandon TPP …

  The UK government’s decision to allocate 369 million pounds ($460 million) to fund a 10-year refurbishment of Buckingham Palace should be welcomed. Unfortunately, the British public’s complicated relationship with both the Royal Family’s finances and the nation’s landmark buildings means there’s a storm of protest instead. And that in turn leaves another of the country’s iconic buildings in jeopardy. …