Breakingviews

The venture capitalist has been revealed to be a secret backer of Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker. That calls into question his media neutrality just as the social network is under fire for bias. As a director, Thiel’s First Amendment position is at odds with Facebook’s.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX just broke the monopoly on military satellite launches enjoyed by the defense contractors’ alliance. Congress may help the pricey venture by allowing it to buy more sanctions-tainted Russian rocket engines. That’d be a strike against efficiency and innovation.

The HP Enterprise CEO is merging its services unit with Computer Sciences. It’s a decent way to salvage an awful 2008 acquisition. At best shareholders might manage to get half the $14 bln value implied by the cost and other benefits HPE is touting. But even that’s a stretch.

Both the IMF and Europe have compromised in Greece’s new debt plan. Athens’ fiscal targets are looser, but less so than the IMF wanted. Its debt costs will fall, but the relief is vague. There’s a hoary cliche about kicking the can down the road. This doesn’t even go that far.

Shares rallied despite a profit outlook that fell below expectations. Setting $1 bln of quake damage aside, the Japanese group is faring well. Consoles are humming along, handsets are stabilising, and a duff project has been nixed quickly. Sony’s turnaround is almost complete.

The board turned down Gannett again and sold stock to an L.A. billionaire, now the publisher’s second-largest owner. The move could draw a higher offer. But a poison pill and other blocking tactics mean shareholders could easily be stuck, powerless, with a declining asset.

While the world obsesses over Brexit, another perilous plebiscite looms in October. Italy’s leader has dangerously staked the future of his leadership over a constitutional reform vote. Its failure would present huge risks to Europe’s economy and global capital markets.

Oil, Islam and the ruling family of Al Saud bind the kingdom together. But low commodity prices and disruptive economic reforms risk opening up divisions within the ruling class. That in turn could unpick the all-important 80-year pact between religious leaders and the state.

Labour law changes forced through by the Socialist government are sparking strikes in refineries, ports, and railways. The benefits of the measures were watered down when the reforms were diluted. Protracted social unrest could deter investment and push up the costs.

Problems at its British steel unit raise questions about the direction of India’s most respected conglomerate under Chairman Cyrus Mistry. The performance of the group’s other big listed companies has been a mixed bag. But viewed as a collective, Tata’s performance stacks up.