All Economy
Why tax havens persist, and where a rethink could take holdWhat could be $200 billion in tax revenue instead sits in offshore centers, parked there by individuals and corporations, often legally. Some reformers would like to remedy that. One lever: new attention on the ethics and morality of the practice.
Trump's change at Fed's helm is also a vote for continuityIf confirmed by the Senate, Federal Reserve chair nominee Jerome Powell is expected to continue the current policy of gradually raising interest rates. But in a break with tradition, he's not an economist.聽
First LookUS economy rebounds after season of hurricanesDespite a loss of nearly 33,000 jobs due to fall storms, the Department of Labor reports solid growth in many sectors including construction, hotels, restaurants, and the auto industry, many of which took the brunt of the impact during hurricanes Harvey and Irma.聽
Republicans pitch broad tax cuts. Is that what economy needs?Many economists say tax changes can give a short-term boost, or sometimes longer-run gains. But the growth goals behind a new House plan run up against tricky math of rising national debt.
Bitcoin stokes fear and greed 鈥� but it鈥檚 just tip of a finance revolutionOften called a digital currency, bitcoin is now behaving more as a 鈥榮tore of value鈥� with a surging price tag. Its bubble could burst, but the technology behind it promises to transform personal and business finance.
Oklahoma cut taxes. Now a squeeze on public services forces a rethink.Oklahoma鈥檚 Republican-dominated legislature is looking at ways to close a revenue gap that鈥檚 affecting schools and health care. But one attempt just faltered.
First LookNew smart locks would allow Amazon to deliver directly into homesAmazon's plan to address theft of packages left on shoppers' doorsteps is a new smart lock system. Customers could remotely control access to their homes for deliveries and other professional services.聽
First LookAmid business departures, London mayor pushes for a Brexit transition dealMayor Sadiq Khan warns that international companies will follow through on their promises to take their business elsewhere if a Brexit transition deal is not agreed to soon.
World's economies grow in sync, but US and Europe lag behindProsperity rises in emerging-market nations from India and Vietnam to even battered Brazil. But slower growth in advanced聽nations raises worries of a low-growth future.
Amazon鈥檚 50,000 new jobs? Why some cities don鈥檛 play tax-break game.Competition among cities to offer tax breaks, aiming for an influx of high-paying jobs, has been intense. But some mayors opted out, saying real development isn't about one-off deals.
First LookAmazon, Facebook, and others see opportunity in Mexico CityIn reaction to anti-immigration sentiment in the US, some tech giants are setting up operations in Mexico, hoping to retain and attract foreign tech talent.
NFL owners to meet, with racial divide on the agendaSometimes sports become a venue for overcoming racial tensions. Amid anthem protests, pro football has a high-profile opportunity.
Trump takes executive action against Obamacare, but at what political cost?An executive order could allow insurers to offer less-than-full medical coverage, which are likely to draw healthier Americans from more expensive plans that help subsidize coverage.
First LookHow Trump's tax plan could affect mortgage interest deductionPresident Trump proposes聽double the standard deduction for mortgages but only if homeowners don't take itemized deductions. Only homes worth $801,000 or more would qualify for the deduction.聽Those who do itemize, could end up paying more taxes.
First LookNobel Prize winner for economics winner outlined policy that takes human foibles into accountUniversity of Chicago professor Richard Thaler聽won Nobel Prize for documenting the way people鈥檚 behavior doesn鈥檛 conform to economic models. Mr. Thaler's work聽has helped change how economists look at trends.
Combating fake news may force big changes at Facebook, TwitterAs social media giants and Google face pressure to counter manipulation of their political content, the task is to temper a data-driven emphasis on customer engagement with social responsibility.聽
Quicker than expected, auto industry revs up for an electric-car futureSome experts project electric vehicles could make up more than half of car sales by 2040, projections that GM, Ford, Volkswagen, Chinese automakers, and others are taking seriously all of a sudden.
First LookDespite progress in global economy, help is still needed for those left behind, IMF saysWhile聽75 percent of the world is experiencing an economic upswing, many are still suffering. Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, posed three suggestions to bridge inequality in an address at Harvard University.聽
First LookEU to Amazon: you owe $295 million in taxesAmazon is the latest multinational corporation to come under EU's crackdown on tax loopholes. The EU says that Amazon has avoided paying nearly three quarters of the taxes it should have paid to Luxembourg.聽
First LookUS solar companies ask for protection from foreign importsThe US International Trade Commission is hearing proposals from US based solar companies that would like tariffs imposed on foreign panel makers. While the cheaper foreign panels have benefited customers, the low prices have hit domestic solar manufacturers hard.聽