June, 2017

• 21 June

  The Senate’s message to Russia (and Trump)

  With its 98-2 vote to expand sanctions against Russia, the U.S. Senate has effectively served notice on two great powers in Washington: Russia, which may have to face new costs for its meddling in the 2016 U.S. election; and President Donald Trump, who will have to contend with congressional input on U.S. policy towards Russia. The bill, which also strengthens ...

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• 21 June

  Eastern Europe and the rule of law

  For several years the European Union has heaped criticism on the governments of Poland and Hungary for flouting EU rules and undermining EU values. So far, it’s been mostly talk. Lately the violations have mounted. Support for some kind of punishment is growing, and a showdown seems to be looming. Yet the EU is finding that it lacks good — ...

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• 21 June

  India is about to upend the global beef trade

  

  India’s paradoxical relationship with beef took a new turn last month, when the environment minister imposed a ban on the sale of cows and buffaloes for slaughter at animal markets. Cow slaughter has been banned for decades in India because of the cow’s traditional status as a respected creature in Hinduism, the largest religion in India. In some cases, penalties ...

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• 21 June

  Take Jack Ma seriously, not literally, on America jobs

  

  Sporting a white button-up shirt and black blazer, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Chairman Jack Ma sat on stage with Charlie Rose to make his pitch to America. If you miss the opportunity to sell your products to China, you will miss the opportunity. You will miss the future. With a line like that, Ma — China’s richest man — could ...

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• 21 June

  Elon Musk’s Mars dream is worth rooting for

  

  When I met Tony Martinez, the mayor of Brownsville, Texas, he had a somewhat wacky argument against the border fence that separated the town from Matamoros, Mexico. “We are about to become an interplanetary civilization,” he told me. “And here we are talking about a wall separating what is essentially the same community.” The reason he said so is that ...

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• 21 June

  China stocks win MSCI inclusion

  

  Bloomberg Chinese stocks were little moved by their addition to MSCI Inc.’s benchmark indexes, as investors weighed the symbolic importance of inclusion against the limited impact on short-term inflows. While MSCI’s announcement was a landmark step in China’s integration with the global financial system, it will initially have a small effect on the amount of foreign money entering the nation’s ...

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• 21 June

  Saudi stocks advance as trio of catalysts boosts trading

  Bloomberg You wait for a Saudi market catalyst, and then three come along at once. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index rose 2.3 percent at 10:12 a.m. in Riyadh as traders embraced a trio of key announcements. Hours after global index provider MSCI Inc. opened the way for Saudi Arabian stocks to be included in its gauges, ruler King Salman ...

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• 21 June

  Oil slide weighs on stocks

  Bloomberg Global stocks retreated and the yen strengthened after oil tumbled into a bear market on concern a supply glut will persist. The pound extended its decline as the UK prepared to start a new parliamentary session under Theresa May’s minority government. European shares fell for a second day as crude continued to edge lower. Haven demand spurred the yen ...

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• 21 June

  Ukraine mulls PwC measures as Privatbank bill grows

  

  Bloomberg Already reeling from a $4.5 billion bill to save its ailing No. 1 lender, Ukraine is now bracing for an even costlier rescue, and says audits by PwC’s local office were instrumental in the bank’s failure. The government may have to stump up 38.5 billion hryvnia ($1.5 billion) more to recapitalize Privatbank after last year’s state takeover, according to ...

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• 21 June

  Barclays Africa to fight $86mn payout over Bankorp

  

  Bloomberg Barclays Africa Group Ltd., the South African bank formerly known as Absa, will go to the country’s high court to challenge a decision that it should pay the government 1.125 billion rand ($86 million) over the apartheid-era acquisition of Bankorp Ltd. “This is due to numerous misrepresentations and factual inaccuracies which form the basis of the Public Protector’s findings, ...

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