WORLD
UK Election: Sunak was right; education is a bright spot in the Tories’ record
When it comes to schools, there is plenty for the next government to improve upon. But Conservatives’ focus on literacy and numeracy is paying dividends
TRENDS
Why people in finance should lift weights and do strength training
Deadlifts beat discounted cash flow on the new buff Wall Street
BUSINESS
Electric Cars: Plug-in Hybrid SUVs are in vogue but watch their emissions
A PHEV is an option if you’re not ready for a fully electric vehicle, but for goodness sake plug it in
BUSINESS
What happens if EV makers go bust?
Before making a big purchase consumers should ask how stable and established is the brand and whether shareholders will bail out if something goes wrong. There are a variety of potential headaches for customers: Vehicles may lose value, parts can be difficult to obtain and the warranty may not be fully honoured. This is where the option of leasing becomes attractive
BUSINESS
Shunning stocks and hoarding cash is harming European wealth
Were European Union families to tweak their asset allocation, increasing their commitment to equities by a modest 5 percentage points, this could unlock €1.8 trillion of capital for productive investment. Similarly, the UK could unlock £740 billion ($943 billion) of capital if households increased their holdings of equities and funds to one quarter of total financial assets
BUSINESS
Why Germany is rich but Germans are poor and angry
The top 10% of households have at least €725,000 ($793,000) of net assets and control more than half of the country’s wealth. Helping more people share in the benefits of economic prosperity would go a long way toward neutering support for radical political parties and cooling the anger now boiling over in Germany
BUSINESS
Private credit titans win the incentive fee lottery
It’s too easy for managers to earn performance bonuses now that interest rates have risen
TECHNOLOGY
EV makers face tough calls on manufacturing and R&D spends, pricing and production levels
It’s an agonising moment for incumbents and new entrants alike; the winners will those able to respond nimbly to volatile consumer demand, while not forgetting that the energy transition is unstoppable
BUSINESS
Listing in the US may boost European cement majors stock valuations
Suppliers of cement are set to be huge beneficiaries of Joe Biden’s $2 trillion investment splurge. Winners include several European giants: CRH, Holcim and Heidelberg – yet their shares are valued at a fraction of US peers. Listing shares in the US, as CRH did recently, might encourage investors to give them a second look
BUSINESS
WeWork didn't work but might after bankruptcy
The reluctance of workers to return to offices — particularly in the US — has created a surfeit of downtown commercial property. But demand for hybrid working is stronger than ever, which opens possibilities for WeWork that has pared down debt. Rival IWG reported a 7% increase in quarterly revenue and falling net debt
BUSINESS
Where are all the private equity bankruptcies?
Defaults are rising but sponsors have the money, tools and motivation to avert disaster
BUSINESS
Your Ferrari could be gone in 60 seconds
Car theft is soaring as thieves outwit vehicle manufacturers and owners
BUSINESS
The secret to earning $1 billion by doing nothing
The decline in corporate net interest expenses helps explain the surprising resiliency of the US economy
BUSINESS
WeWork’s glass walls are starting to close in
The flexible workspace provider is running out of options — and cash. The company’s second-quarter results suggests the next 12 months will every bit as fraught as WeWork’s near implosion four years ago. Absent effective remedial action or another capital raise, it could be lights out
BUSINESS
A rolling recession is roiling lots of industries
There are sector-specific slumps in manufacturing, chemicals, cardboard boxes, freight, tech/electronics, residential and commercial property, mergers & acquisitions, and advertising
BUSINESS
Aston Martin earns a shot at catching Ferrari
But investors won’t believe the British luxury automaker has turned a corner until it becomes a reliable cash generator
BUSINESS
Why collect Ferraris when you can own a T-Rex?
But please don’t hide dinosaur fossils away in your home. They belong in museums where everyone can enjoy them
BUSINESS
The corporate bankruptcy wave will get even uglier
Business distress is only just beginning
BUSINESS
It feels like 'Lehman II’ in this crucial industry
Profit warnings in the chemicals industry don’t bode well for the global economy
BUSINESS
Minor fender bender? That will be $42,000, please
New automobile models — whether powered by combustion engines or electric batteries — have essentially become very expensive computers on wheels, sometimes containing as many as 3,000 semiconductors. This is wonderful from a safety and driving performance perspective, but replacement parts cost more and modern vehicles take longer to fix
BUSINESS
Billionaire Richard Branson puts himself on trial
It’s been a tough few years for Virgin, but has the brand lost its lustre?
BUSINESS
Who wants to become a heat-pump billionaire?
Heat pumps are the new plastics, but competition from Asia threatens to erode profit margins.
BUSINESS
How much extra would you pay to save Earth?
The additional cost of rolling out clean technology in its infancy before scale economies are achieved will be passed on to consumers in many areas. One approach to tackle the price gap between clean and dirty products is simply to hand companies billions of dollars in subsidies
TRENDS
World's richest man Bernard Arnault has some giant competition
A group of corporate behemoths confounds the Old Continent’s doomsayers
