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The daily-deal company’s stock cratered on cut forecasts and a CEO change. It’s now worth about $2 bln, a third of Google’s offer price in 2010. Tech startups may favor tales of takeover refuseniks like Facebook and Twitter, but it’s easy to get lost in valuation fantasyland.

A new lobbying group of five big Silicon Valley firms reflects concerns that Washington may not understand the benefits of booming fintech. Banks have long made similar complaints about Uncle Sam. Like them, the industry needs to realize that regulation can help rein in excess.

Prosecutors won the first U.S. trial for manipulating prices by placing and cancelling orders, known as spoofing. Algorithms did the actual transactions, making criminal intent tough to prove. Yet a lightning-fast verdict shows juries are up to nailing high-speed market cheats.

Boss Jeff Bewkes thwarted Rupert Murdoch’s $80 bln takeover bid with some bold stand-alone projections. A year later, the HBO owner’s results are failing to impress. Its stock trades below Fox’s offer price and at a discount to peers, making it vulnerable to a fresh approach.

Family shareholders, unions and the Lower Saxon state all stand in the way of sweeping reforms the carmaker needs, such as an outside chairman. A share-price implosion might sway the family, but for the others to agree, Chancellor Angela Merkel may need to bang heads together.

Bonuses paid to City executives should be linked to how many senior women they employ, according to a review commissioned by the UK government. The idea probably has more merits than drawbacks. But promoting women to the highest echelons may be easier than retaining them.

Equity turbulence led to a loss for Norway’s wealth fund. Energy-dependent funds may in turn get their revenge. With oil prices low, governments are tempted to dip into hoarded wealth. And the funds themselves are becoming more apt to diversify away from financial assets.

First-half results show the 8.5 bln stg UK retailer has done much to improve itself internally - non-food gross margin guidance was revised up, again. But Marks & Spencer needs to get the top line moving to deliver sustained returns. Fashioning external appeal is a harder task.

Shares in the Japanese postal operator and its finance arms soared on their stock-market debuts. Low valuations, high yields and familiarity helped the $12 bln triple IPO to fly. Yet the share moves also reveal just how lukewarm investors are about the core postal business.

The Chinese e-commerce giant’s annual Nov. 11 shopping promotion has become a national festival. Now a smaller rival has accused Alibaba of bullying merchants into using only its platform. Market power may be good for driving sales, but not if it prompts regulators to weigh in.