Bloomberg The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that the rate of bankruptcy for small- and medium-sized businesses may triple this year in the absence of sufficient government support, threatening to stall the economic recovery and cause financial instability. A staff analysis of 17 countries suggests that bankruptcies for the firms could surge to 12%, from 4% before the pandemic, the ...

Bloomberg Europe’s car industry extended a tentative recovery for a second straight month, leaving manufacturers and dealers hoping state subsidies will help spur a stronger rebound. New passenger-car registrations fell 24% in June, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association said. That’s an improvement on May’s 57% slump and April’s 78% drop. With sales still well below last year’s levels, hopes are ...

Bloomberg It wasn’t meant to be like this for Margrethe Vestager, the European Union competition chief who’s made a name for herself as Silicon Valley’s worst nightmare. Her order for Apple Inc. to pay back a record 13 billion-euros ($14.9 billion) in state aid from Ireland in 2016 sealed her reputation as the world’s most feared antitrust enforcer. But the ...