Commentariat

FT Editorial

Swathes of Mexican territory are in the control of drug cartels. The heavy cost of fighting them is also paid in the corrosion of Mexican democracy and its institutions

The UK is a country with a state religion: the housing market. One of its former high priests, Sir James Crosby has delivered a report on how to reform the mortgage market

As “frozen conflicts” go, the simmering arch-rivalry between India and Pakistan, dating from the partition of the subcontinent, has an alarming ability to boil over,…

An investigation by the Financial Times has revealed that the creeping nationalisation of the UK economy did not begin when the government found itself forced to take…

Another weekend, another bank rescue. On Sunday night, the US Treasury moved to shore up Citigroup. There was no choice - the banking giant could not be allowed to…

The route back to financial sustainability was unconvincing – both as individual measures and taken as a whole. We must hope that Mr Darling’s extraordinary optimism about the economy is justified

Underwriting insurance on the value of toxic assets would solve the problems they cause by putting a floor under their value

Zardari’s overture should be taken up quickly by India. Ultimate reconciliation, however, will have to encompass Kashmir

The need for public sector reforms to improve productivity has never been greater. But the public sector cannot be the main source of employment growth in future

Policymakers must be ready if deflation sets in. Monetary policy independence must be preserved, but central bank and treasury co-operation is vital

US president-elect Barack Obama appears to have chosen well in picking his economic team, but Hillary Clinton could be a far more questionable choice

The UK’s Labour government is taking a gamble on tax cuts to stimulate the economy. But it looks like the Tory gambit of opposing them is riskier

The president-elect may have to deal not only with the withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq, but with the withdrawal from kicking his ‘crackberry’ habit

The purpose of recapitalisations was to strengthen banks so that they could continue lending during a global downturn. But banks are not doing so. They must

Are the British getting crosser? It would be unsurprising if bankers thought that. Tolerated for their usefulness rather than loved, they are being blown away by scorn

Despite its current malaise, London’s junior market has a vital part to play, and should still be there to play it when the economic recovery comes

Europe’s best route out of recession is probably a co-ordinated fiscal expansion, led by Germany, where people must be encouraged to go shopping

With Beijing setting its sights on an aircraft carrier, its neighbours are, not unreasonably, nervous about the one-party state’s military clout

Pirates are not the only source of concern off the African coast. The deal South Korea’s Daewoo Logistics is negotiating with the Madagascan government looks…

First France, and now Britain. The courtship of Syria proceeds apace. There is, of course, nothing wrong with engagement, as the Bush years have taught us. Ideally,…

The Troubled Asset Relief Programme is certainly troubled. A plan to buy up $700bn of mortgage-backed securities turned into a scheme primarily aimed at recapitalising…

Competing with local farmers for scarce food is bound to fail unless old-style colonialism is resurrected. That day must not come

The Troubled Asset Relief Programme must remain the firewall against financial collapse. It must not become pork-barrel investor of first resort

The need is to get Iran interested in regional stability, not a dalliance with Damascus premised on an illusion

If the “back us or sack us” call from Barclays directors were to end in tears next spring, perhaps they could turn to the stage. For the UK bank has delivered a…