Reuters builds commentary team

James Pethokoukis, a writer and blogger for U.S. News & World Report, will cover US economic policy, regulation and the economy in Washington. He is also a contributor to CNBC. Previously, he was with USA Today and Investor’s Business Daily. He will report to Jeffrey Cane, US editor, commentary, a former editor at Portfolio.com and The New York Times.

“The credit crisis has tilted the balance of US financial power away from New York and towards Washington, so the hiring of James Pethokoukis, who will cover the Capitol and its environs, is an essential plank in our plans to build a commentary team that will focus on the biggest stories in financial markets globally,” said Jonathan Ford, global commentary editor, who was previously co-founder of the Internet service Breakingviews. “James will post to our global financial blog and will also write longer columns on the evolving debate.”

Reuters’ 25-member commentary team of journalists is primarily based in London and New York. It produces short opinionated columns every day on the world’s top stories as well as longer columns.

The European commentary team will be led by Peter Thal Larsen, formerly banking editor of the Financial Times.

Felix Salmon, a financial blogger, is leading Reuters’ effort to produce a financial blog. ■