In 301 AD, the Emperor Diocletian made a bold but ultimately unsuccessful bid to address the inflation that was rampaging across the eastern half of the divided Roman Empire. Prices of everything from purple thread and feathers to slaves and…
Tag: Economic Conditions and Trends
China Signals Confidence in Economy Despite Sluggish Growth and U.S. Trade War
China’s top leaders sought to project confidence in the country’s economy on Wednesday despite sluggish growth, an escalating trade war with the United States and growing geopolitical uncertainty caused by the Trump administration. The government set a bold target for…
Trump’s Latest Tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China Could Be His Biggest Gamble
President Trump made one of the biggest gambles of his presidency Tuesday by initiating sweeping tariffs with no clear rationale on imports from Canada, Mexico and China, triggering a trade war that risks undermining the United States economy. His actions…
German Central Bank Loss Points to More Economic Woes for Germany
The president of Germany’s central bank, which on Tuesday reported an annual loss for the first time in more than 40 years, said that Germany faced another year of economic stagnation, more gloomy news for a country that is struggling…
Emboldened Kremlin Steps Up Efforts to Seize Businesses in Russia
After the fall of Communism, Russia ushered in capitalism by selling off billions of dollars in state assets. Now, 30 years later, the Russian government is stepping up a wartime campaign to do the opposite: seizing private businesses, this time…
When Germany Votes, It Will Be About the Economy
When German voters go to the polls on Sunday, the fate of companies like SKW Piesteritz will be at the top of their minds. The chemical factory halved its annual Christmas bonus for workers last year, and it just shut…
The Man Who Broke Germany’s Government Wants a Chance to Fix It
It has been a rocky few months for Christian Lindner, and for the German political system that he has thrown into chaos. In November, Mr. Lindner, who was the federal finance minister, effectively toppled Germany’s fragile government in a bid…