Donald Trump’s absence from Asia-Pacific summits will do little harm to America’s long-term standing in the region. It might even help. The president’s decision to skip two international meetings in November was predictably seen as evidence of American neglect of a vital region, underscoring the unilateralist instincts of Trump. The complaints are fair. But let’s not mistake pageantry for trends ...

There are fintechs, and then there are fintechs. Cheerleaders point to payments startups like Jack Dorsey’s Square Inc., whose stock has soared 242 percent in a year, as evidence of a Silicon-Valley-style revolution in the making. But there are sob stories, too: loan platforms LendingClub Corp. and On Deck Capital Inc. are still trading well below their IPO prices. Promises ...

Coca-Cola Co.’s thirst for an alternative to sugary drinks has proved a boon for Whitbread CEO Alison Brittain. She announced the sale of the Costa Coffee chain to the US beverage giant for 3.9 billion pounds ($5.1 billion). Brittain has been able to capitalise on the fact that coffee is piping hot right now: In May, Nestle SA paid $7.15 ...