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: 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
277
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
278
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
279
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
280
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
281
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
282
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
283
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
284
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
285
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
286
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
287
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
288
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
289
Viewsroom: Fintech’s growing pains
Upstarts like LendingClub and SoFi need to find ways to keep customers returning – just as traditional banks are fighting back and Goldman Sachs’ digital push into consumer lending takes off. Also: how Malaysia’s prime minister may be...
18 min
290
Viewsroom: The biggest loser, China or the U.S.?
A volley of words threatens a trade war between PRC leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. Developing China has much at risk in fighting with the world’s largest economy. But American businesses are vulnerable too. Plus: M...
17 min
291
Viewsroom: Spotify leads Wall Street on IPO dance
The music-streaming service enjoyed a mostly smooth stock-market debut despite largely bypassing investment banks. Ultimately, though, business success, not IPO hype, is what counts. Plus: Regulators and automakers are sparking up an altogether too coz...
18 min
292
Viewsroom: China’s new central banker
Yi Gang, the head of the People’s Bank of China, has experience working in America. Once considered a liability, it now may be one of his great assets. And the mainland is courting companies to list shares locally, while China’s version of Hul...
25 min
293
Viewsroom: How long should a leader lead?
China’s President Xi Jinping can now stay in power for life. Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein seems ready to retire after 12 years at the top. Yet five years may be the ideal length of service. Breakingviews columnists discuss the limitations to limit...
14 min
294
Viewsroom: Trump slaps tariff fear on markets
Imposing levies on steel and aluminum has lost the president his economic adviser, ex-Goldman No. 2 Gary Cohn. That has shocked investors out of complacency. Also: Italy’s elections leave fringe parties in charge. And big deals may be back on the agend...
24 min
295
Viewsroom: Fraud puts India’s lenders on edge
A $1.8 bln scam at Punjab National Bank comes just months after the government injected $32 bln to bail out 20-odd state-run financial institutions. The scandal may increase calls for them to be privatized. Elsewhere: Will Sky be the limit for...
20 min
296
Viewsroom: Chipmaker battle fries M&A circuits
Broadcom has lowered its hostile bid for Qualcomm after its target upped its longstanding offer for NXP. That decreases the chance the two larger rivals can strike a deal – assuming regulators wouldn’t nuke it. Plus: Credit Suisse shi...
15 min
297
Viewsroom: Volatility puts investors to the test
Higher wages, inflation fears and the prospect of faster than expected rate hikes are posing challenges market players haven’t seen for years. Comcast may spike Walt Disney’s potion to acquire Rupert Murdoch’s entertainment assets. Plus, Singapore’s ai...
17 min
298
Viewsroom: The Fed’s belated Wells Fargo beating
Chair Janet Yellen forbids the $2 trln lender from growing bigger - on her last day in the job, and 17 months after Wells’ fake-accounts scandal hit. Meanwhile, fellow financial watchdog CFPB seems to be giving hacke...
21 min
299
Viewsroom: Jamie Dimon risks ruining a good run
JPMorgan’s chairman and CEO intends to lead the bank until around 2023. Dimon has built a strong and successful company over the past 12 years. But the longer he stays, the harder it becomes to leave on an unambiguous high. Plus: Asia...
17 min
300
Viewsroom: Trump solar tax is more burn than balm
The U.S. president seems to be trying to right past trade wrongs. But business has long since moved on, meaning tariffs on washing machines and solar panels will do more harm than good. Also, Merkel and Modi disappoint in snow-ravaged Davos. Plus: Spot...
24 min