Of America’s 50 states, 32 have at least one law that lets a firm’s fiduciaries take some non-shareholder interests into accountLAST YEAR 184 of America’s mightiest bosses vowed to manage their firms in the interest not just of company owners but also of other stakeholders—from employees to the environment. Of America’s 50 states, 32 have…
DURING HIS term in office, Donald Trump has often bashed China while occasionally praising its leader, Xi Jinping. Similar two-mindedness characterises his administration. China hawks, led by Robert Lighthizer, his trade representative, and Mike Pompeo, the secretary of state, have tussled for influence with more dovish figures such as Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary, who…
The world’s biggest passenger aeroplane is going cheapHOW MUCH is an airliner worth if it is languishing on the tarmac, and may never fly passengers again? In the age of covid-19 that is the fate of many double-decker A380 superjumbos built by Airbus, Europe’s aerospace giant. Once seen by airlines as the future of commercial…
Green companies vie not just to generate power but also to store and manage itDEPENDING ON WHOM you ask, California is a leader in clean energy or a cautionary tale. Power outages in August prompted stern critiques from Republicans. “In California”, Donald Trump tweeted, “Democrats have intentionally implemented rolling blackouts—forcing Americans in the dark.” In…
A new report tries to quantify the returns to multinationals from kickbacks they payMANY BIG companies may be struggling with depressed sales, but these are busy times for bribery-busters. Mexico is abuzz over allegations by an ex-boss of Pemex, the state oil giant, that several senior politicians received bungs from companies including Odebrecht, a Brazilian…
The small Croatian firm’s low volumes belie its ambitionsTHE BUSHY beard sported by Mate Rimac, the 32-year-old founder of a Croatian electric-car-technology firm named after him, long predates lockdown affectation. He is said to have grown it to conceal youthful features that might put off potential customers and partners among the world’s big carmakers, who…
During a recent jog around Hollywood, Ryan Phillippe shaded Ellen DeGeneres.The A-list actor mocked her “be kind” mantra while standing in front of her poster.The truth about DeGeneres has been exposed, and there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle.Ellen DeGeneres is not having a good year.After an expose all but crumbled her toxic…
There’s been a lot of talk about the possibility of Prince Harry reconciling with his family.I believe he will. Eventually.However, by then, it may be too late to mend fences with his grandparents.The rift between Prince Harry and his family is now front and center of most media outlets that report on the royal family.A…
The food-delivery firm could last longer in the DAX 30 index than the firm it replacedJOINING THE index of Germany’s 30 biggest listed companies is usually a cause of celebration for the joiner rather than of controversy. Yet the arrival of Delivery Hero in the DAX 30 on August 24th ignited a fierce debate. How,…
A secretive software-maker says hello to the stockmarket—and goodbye to Silicon Valley“ONE NEVER really knows who one’s enemy is.” The words of Jürgen Habermas, a noted Frankfurt School philosopher, are a good point of departure for understanding Palantir Technologies. On August 25th the controversial software firm, named after a magical orb in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord…