What Did the Trump Tax Cuts Do? Nobody Really Knows.

What Did the Trump Tax Cuts Do? Nobody Really Knows.

Seven years ago, when Republicans passed the most significant overhaul of the tax code in a generation, they were sure the law would supercharge investment, raise wages and shift the American economy into a higher gear. So did it? The answer, at least for now, is largely lost to history. …

Read more

What Scott Bessent, Trump’s Treasury Pick, Might Get Asked Today

What Scott Bessent, Trump’s Treasury Pick, Might Get Asked Today

A test for Trump’s cabinet pick For businesses and markets, perhaps the most important of the hearings for the incoming Trump administration’s Cabinet picks starts on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Treasury secretary, will likely be confirmed by the Senate. But the billionaire …

Read more

Emeralds for Sale: The Taliban Look Below Ground to Revive the Economy

Emeralds for Sale: The Taliban Look Below Ground to Revive the Economy

In a chilly auditorium in Afghanistan, heaps of freshly mined green emeralds glowed under bright table lamps as bearded gemstone dealers inspected them for purity and quality. An auctioneer asked for bids on the first lot, which weighed 256 carats. With that, the Taliban’s weekly gemstone auction was underway. These …

Read more