Bloomberg Germany is cursed by its own economic strength. For eight years, the nation of 83 million people has been the euro area’s growth driver. Now it’s at the forefront of the currency bloc’s reflation, with price increases potentially exceeding 2 percent, and dissatisfaction with the European Central Bank has morphed into outrage. Critics and media are slamming the ...

  Bloomberg A European proposal for a tax on financial transactions is trapped in limbo: financial realities won’t let it come to life while political opportunism is preventing a quick death. The tax initiative is being kept alive largely for domestic political reasons as German Chancellor Angela Merkel bids for a fourth term and France prepares for presidential elections this ...

  CHICAGO / AP Shoppers in Chicago will soon have to pay a checkout tax of 7 cents per bag at all retailers in the city unless they bring their own bags to stores. The tax, which starts Wednesday, is the city’s latest attempt to cut down on the use of disposable bags, which are usually given for free at ...