Donald Trump’s reported musings about whether he could fire the Federal Reserve chairman eclipsed an important signal from the central bank last week. Those who perused December’s interest-rate documents were focused on why the ‘dot plots’ projected two hikes next year and why the Fed didn’t abandon forward guidance. A stock-market swoon and press conference from Chairman Jerome Powell added ...

Global equity investors have reason to be concerned: The economic outlook is worsening, interest rates are rising and tensions in the US-China relationship could further harm growth. But all is not bleak. Japan provides a measure of certainty and promise, with a stable government, expanding economy, improving return on equity and booming tourism. Japanese stocks aren’t reflecting these positive factors. ...

As 2018 ends, retailers say goodbye to a relatively good year for the industry. Upbeat consumers, coupled with the long-awaited payoff from some slow-burn investments in e-commerce and supply-chain capabilities, finally helped them demonstrate they aren’t doomed. So what will shape retailers’ fates in 2019? Here are four focus points to keep an eye on: Tariffs: The industry may have ...

It’s been another year of relentless artificial-intelligence (AI) hype and incremental AI achievement. Machines still beat humans only in carefully constructed environments or at narrow tasks. The good news is that, as technology progresses, the race for leadership is still wide open, and even Europe, where politicians fret that continent is lagging behind China and the US, is still quite ...

If you’re impressed by Masayoshi Son’s $100 billion Vision Fund, China’s $856 billion in “guidance funds” will blow your mind. The country is quickly becoming a major player in the venture capital world. This year, Chinese investors are involved in over $90 billion worth of deals, second only to the US and up from only $11.5 billion five years ago. ...

For reasons largely outside its control, the Federal Reserve is now being widely blamed for fueling financial market instability and risking derailment of the US economy. This is quite a contrast from just a few month ago, when it was still being feted by many for its role as an active and effective repressor of financial market volatility. It is ...

Bloomberg The Federal Reserve realises that it can’t put its key policy tool, the federal funds rate, on autopilot, and that it needs to better communicate its policy decisions, said Mohamed El-Erian, Allianz SE’s chief economic adviser. “Even the Fed is understanding that it needs to communicate better,” El-Erian said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” It needs to ...

Bloomberg Until a trade dispute between the US and China is resolved, a single tweet on the matter will have the power to ignite rallies and sell-offs. The tweet in question this week is President Donald Trump’s declaration that “big progress” is being made towards a deal between the US and China, and it may spur gains across emerging markets. ...

Bloomberg The European Central Bank expects the global economy to slow in 2019 as rising protectionism curbs trade growth. While economic activity has remained resilient around the world, it has also become more uneven and signs of moderating momentum are increasingly evident, according to the ECB’s latest economic bulletin. Global trade growth has weakened and uncertainties about future trade relations ...

Bloomberg United Bank of India became the first of the country’s ailing state-run banks to announce a new cash injection from the government, disclosing in a filing that it will receive 21.6 billion rupees ($308 million) to improve its capital ratios. The announcement sent the bank’s shares up as much as 14 percent, set for the biggest gain since October ...