Like postmodern literature that eschews conventional plot, narrative, and characters, financial markets have become increasingly abstract and remote. Volatility trading offers a good example of why this is so dangerous. In February, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. reportedly made $200 million in profit on a single day from volatility trading. Anticipating increases, Goldman purchased volatility then sold it profitably to investors ...

Heads, Boeing Co. wins. Tails, aerospace suppliers lose. The planemaker recently announced the latest step in its push to grab more of its suppliers’ rich profit margins for itself. Boeing will partner with Safran SA to develop and service auxiliary power units, which are used to start the main engine and provide power to aircraft while on the ground. If ...

The worst thing about the latest revelation involving Facebook Inc. and its questionable stewardship of people’s personal information is that the company has again shown that it never learns from its own mistakes. In an article published late on Sunday, the New York Times reported that dozens of hardware companies such as BlackBerry Ltd. and Apple Inc. had far more ...