What Happened in M&A in 2023, and What’s Ahead, in Five Charts

[ad_1] The past year was a downer for mergers and acquisitions, which plunged to the lowest level in a decade, but deal makers are hopeful that 2024 could be better following…

The Fed Alone Can’t Make Gold Sparkle in 2024

[ad_1] On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: five gold rings, which turned out to be much more expensive than a year ago. The key…

China Central Bank to Help Boost Consumer Prices Amid Deflation Risks

[ad_1] Dec. 29, 2023 1:20 am ET|WSJ Pro China’s central bank has vowed to boost consumer prices as the world’s second-largest economy is battered by tepid demand and weakening confidence.…

2024 Could Be the Year of the Yen

[ad_1] The Japanese yen has been one of the worst performing currencies of the past couple of years. It could do better in 2024. The yen has lost around 20%…

Soft Landing Talk Prompts 1990s Flashbacks

[ad_1] Talk of a soft landing for the U.S. economy has investors dreaming of a 1990s-style boom soon afterward. A lot would have to go right for that to happen,…

South Africa Business Mood Slips as Car Dealer Sentiment Sours

[ad_1] South African business sentiment unexpectedly fell in the fourth quarter as subdued demand sent new-vehicle dealers’ confidence to the lowest level since the coronavirus pandemic. A quarterly business confidence…

China’s Big Banks Cut Deposit Rates as Growth Plateaus

[ad_1] Dec. 21, 2023 11:05 pm ET China’s biggest banks are lowering the deposit rates offered to savers, a move that could pave the way for the central bank to…

As interest rates climb, Sweden’s central bank fears financial stability

[ad_1] Due to high inflation and increasing interest rates, Sweden’s financial stability is strained and the risks are increasing, the country’s central bank (Riksbank) said in a report. “We have…

Economists See South Africa Averting Second-Quarter Contraction

[ad_1] South Africa’s economy probably avoided a contraction in the second quarter, despite record power cuts, logistical constraints and sagging consumer confidence. In the view of analysts polled by Bloomberg…