For Tesla Inc., the distance between a disastrous robotaxi launch and a merely disappointing one was just a foot or two. The “safety monitor” who was sat in the front passenger seat of the handful of Tesla robotaxis that began operating in a limited part of Austin on Sunday was the contradictions of Elon Musk’s…
It may seem as if Treasuries are the better bet these days with the US stock market back near record highs and government securities offering respectable yields again. But stocks are still likely to pay more. The urge to ditch stocks is understandable. There’s a lot of uncertainty out there, much of which could have…
New World Development Co.’s financial distress is creating angst just as Hong Kong is starting to regain its feet. The real estate developer’s systemic importance is of great concern to residents, policymakers and investors alike. Property fire sales at New World could drag down home prices further, while a potential default will impair banks’ loan…
Hong Kong is on the cusp of a big, beautiful bull run. But it’s in danger of being ruined. The financial center is finally getting back on its feet. The city is leading in global initial public offerings rankings this year. Its stock market is one of the world’s best performing. Meanwhile, rents have returned…
China has an opportunity to act as an elder statesman, thanks to the spectacular own goals of Donald Trump’s tariffs. Usually cast as a disruptor of the postwar economic order, and sometimes relishing the reputation, Beijing has much to gain in the public-relations arena. The challenger can now present as the defender of the system….
Stocks have been crushed in recent weeks, but Wall Street forecasters think the worst may be over. Morgan Stanley and Citi said they saw 5,500 as the floor for the S&P 500. Both banks are sticking to their year-end price target of 6,500, implying about 15% upside. The worst of the stock market sell-off looks…
President Xi Jinping has a nickname in China. Instead of calling him directly by name, people commonly use Da Da, or Mr. Big. After all, he is the nation’s most powerful politician in decades, serving a precedent-defying third term. He also dares to challenge the world’s biggest economy, and China’s only real rival, promoting a…
War and peace in our time will depend on the decisions of various world leaders, but these three presidents above all: Donald Trump in the United States, Xi Jinping in China and Vladimir Putin in Russia. So peer into their minds and take stock of the ideas floating around there. What you’ll find is not…
A multi-nation survey published last week found a significant decline in the proportion of Ukrainians who believe they can beat Russia’s invasion. Small wonder. For Kyiv, 2024 was a nightmare, created in large part by a collapse of the early war’s winning formula: the matching of Ukrainian motivated manpower to sophisticated Western arsenals. So does…
Amid Donald Trump’s chaotic, last-minute intervention into congressional negotiations about government funding, he has stumbled upon a good idea: He wants to abolish the debt ceiling. The debt ceiling, once a barely relevant bit of legal arcana, has become a dangerous weapon in American politics. It is currently due to expire in March, and the…