It was a year of transition for US trade policy in 2021. The Trump administration’s trade representative Robert Lighthizer was replaced by Katherine Tai, a senior trade lawyer with a history of taking on China. While Tai’s appointment signalled President Joe Biden’s leanings toward a multilateral approach, under her leadership, …

Crude oil prices traded above $80 per barrel for the first time since last November, largely supported by easing concerns over the negative impact of the omicron COVID-19 variant and signs of robust oil demand in major oil-consuming countries. But will this level remain throughout the year? Current temporary factors …

Top U.S. and Russian diplomats expressed little optimism Sunday that tensions between their countries would be eased at high-level discussions this week in Europe over Moscow’s massive troop buildup along its Ukraine border and Russian demands for Western security guarantees. “It’s hard to see we’re going to make any progress …