There are multiple publicly traded companies that have paid dividends since the 1860s or earlier. Seven of them are banks; the remaining two are utilities.

Hoover Institution fellow Michael Spence discusses market volatility prompted by concerns over China's economy, market fragility, and central banks' ability to deal with deflation.

The question as to whether “too big to fail” no longer exists or is being codified by the government continued to be a hot button topic as 2015 wound down, and the debate isn’t slowing as 2016 begins.

The New York Times recently published an editorial highlighting partisan differences over Social Security, advocating that current-law benefit growth be increased, and implicitly rejecting bipartisan calls to include some cost containment in legislated financing reforms.