On Monday, I cast doubt on the many stories about how Black Friday retail sales were off to a disappointing start. This is an important story because retail is such a critical part of the U.S. economy, and because such a large share of the industry’s sales occur during the roughly five weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But the …

  In Sunday’s referendum, Italy will be voting on two things. The first is the question on the ballot — whether to support Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s proposal for constitutional reform. The second is whether the country wants Renzi, who’s made this vote a test of confidence, to stay in charge. The answer to both questions should be yes. First, …

  The OPEC agreed on Wednesday to cut the crude output to end the global oil glut. The oil cartel defied expectations and nailed down its first joint output cut since 2008 after tough talks in Vienna. The cuts are intended to shrink the world’s bloated oil stockpiles back to a normal level, paving the way for prices to rise …