CHINA SYNDROME: Market futures slipped this morning as China rebuffed President Trump’s suggestion that they are in discussions with the US about tariffs and trade. A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said today, “Any claims about progress in China-U.S. economic and …

THE SOCIAL MEDIA ECONOMIST: The death of pope Francis yesterday overshadowed what would have been the US news of the day … all three major stock indexes closed down sharply after President Trump in a social media post called Federal Reserve …

CONVOCATION: Less than 24 hours after offering Easter blessings and meeting with Vice President JD Vance, Pope Francis died this morning in Rome at age 88, the Vatican announced.    Originally from Argentina, Francis was the first Jesuit and Latin American pope. …