Viewsroom

Breakingviews columnists talk about the big numbers, crunchy deals and nasty spats in global business and economics, offering a weekly dose of financial insight that goes beyond the concise and provocative views readers get from our columns every day.

News
276
Viewsroom: What’s next for Brexit?
Cabinet resignations, an angry coalition partner and a skittish currency greeted UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s draft agreement to quit the EU. Breakingviews columnists examine whether the current mess leads to Brexit with an EU deal, without a deal, ...
17 min
277
Viewsroom: Europe fights U.S. Big Tech
Digital titans like Alphabet and Apple may rule the roost, but EU rules on data privacy are helping startups flourish on the other side of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, Facebook’s inability to police fake content spreads to Africa. Plus: Mumbai’s r...
25 min
278
Viewsroom: Democrats will rattle Wall Street cage
The U.S. House of Representatives will soon be controlled by lawmakers opposing President Trump. That gives them more scope to push their agenda on trade, infrastructure and a perennial bogeyman, th...
16 min
279
Viewsroom: Europe faces life after Angela Merkel
Germany’s chancellor won’t seek re-election in 2021 and is stepping down as party chair next month after electoral setbacks. It may herald a rightward swing at home and less EU unity. Plus: investors’ embrace of Brazil’s...
24 min
280
Viewsroom: The $230 bln scam rocking Nordic banks
Danish lender Danske has already lost its chief executive on news that one of its Estonian branches was used to launder Russian money. Now Nordea and others are facing questions. Plus: investors drive car stocks into a ditch - and Daimler...
21 min
281
Viewsroom: Saudi fiasco sets Wall Street ablaze
Bankers and officials have ditched a huge Saudi shindig after Turkey accused the kingdom of killing a prominent journalist – but big deal fees and oil reserves make the kingdom hard to shun. Breakingviews columnists discuss the financial ramifications ...
15 min
282
Viewsroom: The financial crisis, 10 years on
The crash cost the U.S. economy $30 trln, put 9 mln people out of work and as many families out of their homes. And it exposed how unprepared bankers, lawmakers and watchdogs were. Here we preview our podcast miniseries interviewing some of the movers ...
24 min
283
Viewsroom: Amazon’s JEDI rebellion
Amazon looks set to win the Pentagon’s $10 bln JEDI cloud contract, but Oracle is fighting back. Plus: Is it time for Airbnb to sell its China business? And should Elon Musk be worried about a Chinese Tesla lookalike listing in New York?
19 min
284
Viewsroom: Turkey’s financial crisis may spread
The feud between President Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump over steel tariffs threatens to turn other emerging markets cold. Breakingviews columnists discuss the global impact of Turkey’s currency meltdown. Plus: A bad bank in China gets...
22 min
285
Viewsroom: Tesla’s wild and crazy ride
CEO Elon Musk’s tweet about wanting to take the company private is causing a stir. Unorthodoxy aside, its volatile boss and weak corporate governance means Tesla is better off the public roads. Plus, Pakistan’s likely new leader Imran Khan will have to...
16 min
286
Viewsroom: CBS’s $184 mln #MeToo challenge
That’s what CEO Les Moonves gets if he leaves the U.S. TV network – unless fired for cause. That’s rare in corporate America. But allegations he sexually harassed women put the board on the spot. Plus: Hong Kong battles the Big Apple for IPOs. And Chin...
22 min
287
Viewsroom: Sergio Marchionne’s legacy
The sudden death of Fiat Chrysler’s CEO has robbed the car industry of one its most colorful – and successful – leaders. Antony Currie, Rob Cox and Lisa Jucca look back over his 14 years at the wheel and discuss what’s on the road ahead for his success...
18 min
288
Viewsroom: Europe puts Google in a bind
The search firm can easily cover the EU’s $5 bln fine for using its Android phone system to stymie rivals. But the order to stop forcing handset makers to pre-install its software could clip innovation. Plus: Goldman Sachs and Tesla put lackluster corp...
16 min
289
Viewsroom: Trump’s Supreme Court pick
The U.S. president has chosen a friend of big business in Brett Kavanaugh. But he faces bigger questions from Senate democrats about executive power. Plus: Commodity giant Glencore faces mounting risks in Washington, and what’s behind the Chinese yuan’...
15 min
290
Viewsroom: Is Silicon Valley getting nervous yet?
The tech hub is getting squeezed by new policy restrictions amid a looming trade war between the U.S. and China. How is the Valley holding up? Plus: India's state lenders are losing CEOs. Is running these banks into the ground part of the plan?...
15 min
291
Viewsroom: Trump goes hog wild on trade
The U.S. president rejected hard-liners’ calls to ban China investing in sensitive U.S. tech. Yet he’s pushing for tariffs that could cost carmakers $45 bln and is livid Harley-Davidson will no longer make EU-bound bikes in the States. Plus: tapping Ch...
19 min
292
Viewsroom: Disney, Comcast go from zero to berserk
The Magic Kingdom and the cable company are driving up the price for parts of Twenty-First Century Fox in a global M&A battle that throws financial logic out the window. But does it make sense strategically? Plus: India’s cricket league takes a few...
17 min
293
Viewsroom: AT&T win is unlikely to muzzle watch...
The telco firm prevailed against the DOJ and can now legally buy Time Warner for $85 bln. The green light doesn’t mean that regulators will roll over for other deals however. T-Mobile US and Sprint may still be in the crosshairs. Plus: An Australian ba...
13 min
294
Viewsroom: Are tech investors lemmings?
Despite Facebook’s mounting problems, only a third of independent shareholders refused to reelect Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg to the board. Tesla and Netflix owners tend to follow the leader, too. Yet protest votes are useful. Plus: Chinese sto...
25 min
295
Viewsroom: Who will win the World Cup?
Germany may not be the bookies’ clear favorite to lift the trophy. But a data dive into player values, population and other factors predicts the team will emerge victorious. Meanwhile, Italy stages an economic and political comic opera. Plus: Ant Finan...
23 min
296
Viewsroom: America sees red on China trade deal
Getting Beijing to force companies to buy more U.S. soybeans and oil may help the Trump administration claim a numbers victory. But it reinforces China’s statist instincts while ignoring most U.S. business beefs with Sino-American trade. Plus: has Tenc...
16 min
297
Viewsroom: 1MDB rears head in Malaysian election
The $5 bln sovereign-wealth fund’s scandal played a role in voters replacing Prime Minister Najib Razak with nonagenarian Mahathir Mohamad. Its resurgence could mean bad news for Goldman Sachs and Najib himself. Plus: Walmart nabs Flipkart in a big bet...
17 min
298
Viewsroom: What’s eating at Elon Musk?
Tesla’s CEO berated analysts for asking “boring, bonehead questions” after the electric-car maker reported a record quarterly loss. He then taunted Warren Buffett, suggesting his idea of corporate “moats” is sugary nonsense. Breakingviews columnists di...
13 min
299
Viewsroom: M&A gets carried away
Dealmaking is breaking records. But more tie-ups are being pulled. And recent proposed unions like T-Mobile US with Sprint and Xerox with Fujfilm come with regulatory or boardroom drama. Crisis throwbacks and the careless brag-song of Sainsbury’s CEO a...
17 min
300
Viewsroom: America puts ZTE in the sin bin
The Trump administration’s decision to ban U.S. companies from selling to the Chinese telecom giant is seriously hurting the company's business. And there’s no easy plan B for ZTE. Also: China has a new way to measure unemployment. Should investor...
14 min