Even with the Russian economy suffering from low growth, high inflation, and relentless Ukrainian long-range drone strikes on energy infrastructure, President Vladimir Putin has thrown fiscal caution to the wind and allowed the government’s budget deficit to balloon to 2.8% of GDP. It isn’t likely to end well. MUNICH—The broad consensus among Russia-watchers is that…
Although the company holds a sizable stake in Alphabet, much like his predecessor, Warren Buffett, current Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA +2.03%) (BRKB +1.71%) CEO Greg Abel isn’t making any major, hyperaggressive bets on artificial intelligence (AI) technology. He’s certainly not unaware of the industry’s rapid growth, though, and is making a point of preparing one of…
As politicians encroach on areas that require technical knowledge, the risk of costly policy mistakes increases. The failures of Narendra Modi and Donald Trump show that when it comes to economic policymaking, political acumen is no substitute for a deep understanding of incentives, markets, and institutions. NEW DELHI—During the seven years I served as chief…
In evaluating the trade-offs of joining the European Union and giving up their own currency, Icelanders must recognize that the costs of eurozone membership are smaller than what past data suggest. If anything, being within the eurosystem would make a repeat of Iceland’s post-2008 banking crisis exceedingly unlikely.