Economists and businessmen agree with the French economist Thomas Piketty, that inequality today is close to that of the era of Robber Barons.

Profit margins are probably the most mean-reverting series in finance. If profit margins do not mean-revert, then something has gone badly wrong with capitalism.

Russian tanks, planes, and troops are reportedly crossing the border with eastern Ukraine after the referendum there which violated the terms of the truce between Ukraine and Russia.

It is always good to read a guide to the perplexed about buying foreign shares. In general, American Depositary Receipts or ADRs exist to make it easier for individual investors (not necessarily Americans) to buy foreign stocks.

The boost came from a Japanese shopping spree ahead of a rise in the sales tax April 1, to 8% from 5%. So the boom in consumption was a one-off.

Chris Loew, our Japan correspondent, writes on the contradictions of current Japanese economic policy; plus more financial news from Canada, India, Russia, Britain, Hong Kong, Denmark, Japan, Israel, Brazil, Jordan, Australia, and South Africa, including three quarterly reports.