Among the many things it does, the federal government is one of the nation’s largest lenders. It lends to farmers, homeowners, students, small businesses, exporters and rural electric utilities, among others. Altogether, there are more than 100 loan programs administered by 20 agencies overseeing lending worth $3.4 trillion in fiscal 2015, up from $1.5 trillion in 2007. These fascinating figures …

Britain has long stood accused of being run by a small clique of privately educated aristocrats. At least in one sphere the accusation is unfair: Few countries are so open-minded when it comes to appointing the men and women who take some of the most crucial decisions for the future of the economy. The Bank of England’s rate-setting monetary policy …

The deal struck last week between Greece and its euro-zone creditors is business as usual — and that’s not a good thing. This protracted game of “extend and pretend” serves nobody’s long-term interests: not those of the Greek government, the International Monetary Fund or, most of all, the people of Greece. Euro-zone finance ministers have unlocked a payment of 8.5 …