Most experts debating bail-in and bail-out strategies agree that banks should build capital and shrink balance sheets as the best way to avoid a collapse and rebuild after one. But researchers are suggesting a more personalized version of that recipe that makes the difference between life and death for struggling firms. In a recent paper, Bank of Italy’s Emilia Bonaccorsi …

In a recent episode of HBO’s sitcom “Silicon Valley,” a lawyer tries to extort money from a struggling startup by threatening to sue it for patent infringement. The troll, who understands nothing about the underlying technology, owns a patent so broad as to be unenforceable, but knows that the victims of his perfectly legal extortion scheme lack the financial resources …

Bloomberg US stocks opened higher and the dollar and Treasuries were largely steady as investors held tight before the release of the latest Federal Reserve minutes. European stocks advanced amid growing optimism over the region’s economy. Oil headed for its first gain in three days and base metals railled. Markets are settling down after a tumultuous few days spurred by …