Shernel Thielman

A quiet shift is under way in how foundations approach their work. Whether a foundation was established by a family, an institution, a company, a church, or in partnership with government, the same question is being asked more and more often: are we giving in a way that lasts? A new generation of donors and trustees, many of whom built or led organisations with discipline and long-term thinking, is now applying those same instincts to philanthropy. They no longer simply disburse funds. They...

Last week, the financial world stood once again in the sign of extremes. Gold hit a new historic peak around 4,446 dollars per ounce, US equity markets closed at record levels, and the oil price rose and then fell back in rhythm with the geopolitics around Iran. In Washington, the new chair of the Federal Reserve took the reins, while investors watched the inflation figures closely. For anyone who tracks the markets every morning, it can feel as though an enormous amount is happening. And yet...

The US and China reached an agreement last week on a substantial reduction of their mutual trade tariffs. US tariffs on Chinese goods drop from 145 to 30 percent, and China lowers its retaliatory tariffs from 125 to 10 percent. Markets responded with one of the strongest weeks of the year. The S&P 500 rose more than 5 percent, and industrial stocks and commodity names were the big winners. The news is being widely viewed as a turning point — or at least a breather — in a trade conflict that...