Big Take
The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.
The Great American Fun Shortage
There’s a historic mismatch between fun-supply and fun-demand in the US this summer.
Americans are clamoring for places to relax and socialize. But the purveyors and conduits of fun — like airlines, theme parks, resorts, concert venues, camps and more — are all grappling with the same inflationary pressures as the rest of us — making fun more expensive and harder to access.
On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg's Ben Steverman about why a fun shortage is a serious problem for society — and what can be done about it.
Read more: The...
Inflation Is Cooling. Why Are Americans Still Sweating?
A slate of new data this week painted a tepid but slightly optimistic picture of the US economy: Consumer prices declined in June for the first time in six years, jobless claims ticked down and retail sales rose modestly. So why doesn’t the data match up with how Americans are feeling?
On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg’s Reade Pickert and labor economist Kathryn Anne Edwards about what the data does (and doesn’t) tell us about the state of the US economy.
Read more: How’s Inflation? Depends Ho...
All the President's Profits
President Donald Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure showed earnings unlike anything Americans have seen from a sitting US president: $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency, 21,000 securities trades and millions from his resorts and golf clubs.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg campaign finance reporter Bill Allison joins host Sarah Holder to look at the ethical concerns the disclosure raises and what — if any — political fallout could follow.
Read more:
Trump Reports at Least $1.4 Billion in 2025 Crypto Earnings Trump Reports Receiving About $120,000 in Sports Events Tickets Trump Financial Disclosure Shows 21,000 Trades in 2025We have a special Bloomberg subscripti...
Xi Jinping Loves Soccer. Why Is China’s Team So Bad?
China’s men’s soccer team has qualified for the World Cup just once, despite millions in investment and a personal push from President Xi Jinping to turn the nation into a footballing powerhouse.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host Oanh Ha speaks with Eric Zhu of Bloomberg Economics and Mark Dreyer, sports writer and author of Sporting Superpower, about why the country’s top-down engineering approach fails to capture the grassroots magic of the game and how academic pressure continues to push many young players off the field.
We have a special Bloomber...
A New Middle East Is Emerging From the Iran War
The last few days have brought a flurry of developments in the Iran war.
As armed hostilities between the US and Iran resumed over the weekend, news broke that US Senator Lindsey Graham had died. Graham was a staunch supporter of Israel and of the war in Iran. And on Monday, President Trump declared US control over the Strait of Hormuz and demanded a 20% reimbursement rate for all cargo that moves through the waterway.
It’s not clear when the war with Iran will end. But when it does, the balance of power in the Mi...
Weekend Listen: Is the world prepared for a 'super' El Niño?
The great famine of the 1870s killed 50 million people – and El Niño was a key driver. Another El Niño phase has just begun and it’s expected to be among the strongest. There are five times as many people in 2026 as there were in the 1870s and the planet is 1.4C hotter. So are we better prepared?
In this weekend's listen, Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi speaks with Mingfang Ting, professor of climate at Columbia University, about the natural phenomenon and its interaction with human-caused climate change.
Read more:
Bloomberg Green's deep dive on extre...The Grueling Economics of Tennis
Some of the world’s top tennis players will face off at the Wimbledon finals this weekend. The players who make it to Centre Court have already achieved a bigger feat: a career as a tennis player.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Hannah Miller and The Athletic’s Matt Futterman break down what sets tennis apart from other sports and the challenges the tournaments and players face to stay profitable.
Further Listening : Rafael Nadal's Retirement Is So Great He Doesn't Miss Tennis
Read more:
Grand Slam prize money is enormo...
Trump is Protesting His Own Party
Maine Democrat Graham Platner’s withdrawal from his US Senate race is ratcheting up an already intense run-up to the US midterm elections. And yet, across the political spectrum, lawmakers in Washington agree that they need to deliver — quickly — on promises of affordability. With broad bipartisan support, they passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, billed as allowing more Americans to achieve the dream of home ownership.
But the bill’s fate has been thrown into doubt by President Trump, who surprised lawmakers by declining to sign it.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg...
How Trump Is Bursting the $100 Billion Grad School Bubble
For two decades, American universities have doubled down on master’s programs, relying on graduate degrees as their financial backbones. Now, the Trump administration’s policies are posing existential threats to that business model.
On today’s Big Take podcast, education reporter Liam Knox joins host Sarah Holder to break down the administration’s three-pronged attack on graduate school and the impact it could have on students, universities and America’s place on the global stage.
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Pr...
Why China Is Flashing Its Military Muscle
China rattled neighbors from Japan to Australia on Monday by test-launching a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Pacific Ocean. While such launches are rare, the latest test reflects Beijing’s increasing openness about its growing military strength.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, Rebecca Choong Wilkins, who covers Asian government and politics, joins host K. Oanh Ha to discuss the surprise launch, China’s expanding arsenal and what they reveal about Beijing’s military aspirations for 2027 and beyond.
Read more:
China’s ICBM Tests Point to New Normal Rattling the Pacific...Private Credit’s New Obsession: Buy Now, Pay Later
Two opaque corners of finance have joined forces: shadow banking and phantom debt. Put another way, private credit firms are backing Buy-Now-Pay-Later companies to finance their expansion into the US consumer market.
On today’s Big Take podcast, guest host Stacey Vanek Smith joins Bloomberg reporters J.J. McCorvey and René Ismail to discuss what private credit’s involvement in BNPL means for everyday borrowers, why it’s raising concerns and whether the risks hiding in these spaces could spill over into the rest of the economy.
Read more: Private Credit Is Making Bets on Consumer...
Weekend Listen: America in Free Fall? Historian Jill Lepore on the US at 250
For America’s 250th anniversary and our Weekend Listen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jill Lepore joins Mishal Husain to take her through her book on the US Constitution.
We The People explores how the Constitution came about and, crucially, how there was an expectation that it would likely change over time.
This is not, however, an episode entirely set in the past, because Jill Lepore is acutely alive to the pressures of the moment and of the contested sense of what America is or should be.
Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net...
On USA’s 250th, Even the Party Planners Are Divided
The federal programming leading up to the United States’ 250th anniversary this weekend has ranged from the genteel (essay contests for grade-schoolers and a national push for volunteerism) to the MAGA-coded (a “Freedom Truck” convoy and a UFC cage fight on the White House lawn). The events are the product of rival planning committees – one created last year by the Trump administration, another by Congress a decade ago.
On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg Businessweek Senior Editor Laura Bliss about the funding battles and cronyism allegations that have dogged this year’s events – a...
The Underground Peptide Market Is Getting Ready to Go Mainstream
In just a few years, peptides have grown from fringe drugs popular with fitness buffs and ‘looksmaxxers’ to a billion-dollar black market. Now, with the prospect of regulation on the horizon, healthcare players and investors are racing to cash in.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Amanda Mull and Madison Muller join host Sarah Holder to break down the peptide boom, the safety concerns surrounding it and how a friendly Trump administration could bring it into the mainstream.
Read more: Peptides Fuel a Multibillion-Dollar Startup Race
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Laur...
‘Claude, How Should I Vote in 2026?’
In the 2026 elections, artificial intelligence is the backdrop for just about everything.
The US and Anthropic reached a truce in recent days that lets the company roll out its powerful models to some users, the sort of on-the-fly decision-making that has candidates jockeying to shape how AI is regulated. Big AI companies are pouring money into 2026 state and federal races, dwarfing the cryptocurrency industry’s spending in 2024. And even as AI is fueling Americans’ anxiety about jobs and energy prices, it’s feeding them the ads and information that will shape their votes: According to one survey, 55% of US...
Asia’s AI Stock Frenzy Is a Warning Sign for Global Markets
Thanks to the AI boom, stock markets in Taiwan and South Korea have seen historic rallies this year. But as retail investors pile in, often using borrowed money, concerns are growing over whether this momentum is sustainable.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, guest host Rebecca Choong Wilkins speaks with Bloomberg’s Asian markets reporter Charlotte Yang and Bloomberg Opinion’s Shuli Ren about the risks of betting on AI and how potential fallout could ripple beyond the region.
Read more: Taiwanese Go Deep Into Debt to Amp 100% Stock Rally
Play Micron, Hynix a...
Special Report: US Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship
A divided Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional right to birthright citizenship, rejecting President Trump’s planned restrictions and invalidating a central plank of his immigration agenda. We have more on that story next from Bloomberg News Now, tracking the latest business headlines from around the world.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
With Lisa Cook Ruling, Supreme Court Shields Fed from President Trump
In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court blocked President Trump’s efforts to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook for now, delivering the Fed a victory in the grueling fight over its independence. But the decision arrived alongside another ruling that allows the president to fire a top official at the Federal Trade Commission—a move widely seen as a boon to executive power over independent agencies.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Fed Editor Amara Omeokwe and Senior Legal Reporter Zoe Tillman join Sarah Holder to unpack what these twin rulings mean for the Trump admini...
Weekend Listen: Can Republicans Win California Again? Steve Hilton Thinks So
In November, California will choose a new governor to replace Gavin Newsom, pitting Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra, a former US Secretary of Health and Human Services, US Congressman and state attorney general, against an unlikely Republican rival: Steve Hilton.
Hilton was born in the UK and became a US citizen only five years ago. He had a career in center-right British politics, working as an adviser for former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron.
In 2012, Hilton moved to California, where he worked as a tech entrepreneur and as a host on right-leaning Fox News.
...
‘Soft Power Suicide’: Samantha Power on One Year Without USAID
On July 1, 2025, the US effectively ended operations of the United States Agency for International Development, the global aid organization founded in 1961, cutting most staff and moving it into the US State Department.
Samantha Power, who led the agency under President Biden until early 2025, joins David Gura on the Big Take podcast to look back at what was lost, internationally and at home.
You can watch their conversation — on Ebola, Iran, Israel and Gaza — on Bloomberg.com.
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Hosted by D...
Iran’s Leaders Are in No Hurry to Get a Peace Deal
Nearly four months after the war in Iran began, US and Iranian negotiators are trying to turn their cease-fire into lasting peace. But critics of the latest memorandum of understanding say it mostly leaves President Donald Trump where he was before the war started, with many key issues unresolved.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Opinion columnist Marc Champion on the latest negotiations between the two countries and what foreign powers – from the Gulf to China – will be watching for in a proposed settlement.
Read more: Trump’s Iran Truce Has the Hallmarks of Defeat
What if the Best Retirement is No Retirement at All?
For a growing number of older workers, retirement is no longer feeling so achievable—or appealing. But staying in the workforce or going back to work in your 60s and 70s comes with challenges, for workers and companies.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Stacey Vanek Smith talks to the World Economic Forum’s Haleh Nazeri about the factors driving the rise in so-called ‘unretirement.’ And we hear from David Lloyd, a radio presenter who’s trying to give other Boomers a later-in-life career boost.
Read more: When the Best Retirement Is No Retirement at...
China’s Instagram Gets Ready to Go Public
After more than a decade as a private company, Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu, known internationally as RedNote, is testing China’s mood for all things tech with its plan to list in Hong Kong.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg Intelligence’s Robert Lea about why the time may be right for an IPO and what Xiaohongshu's debut says about the future of China’s tech industry.
Read more: Xiaohongshu Is Said to Ready Hong Kong IPO Filing This Month
See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...
And Starmer Makes Six, Why Britain Can’t Keep a Prime Minister
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation Monday after less than two years in office. Starmer is the sixth Prime Minister to resign in the decade since the Brexit vote, raising major questions about where the country’s fractured political system goes from here.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Executive Editor Edward Evans joins guest host Wendy Benjaminson from London to discuss the turmoil at 10 Downing Street. They explore what led to Starmer’s resignation, how soon the man poised to replace him, Labour Party frontrunner Andy Burnham, could call a general election and how th...
Special Report: Alan Greenspan Dies at 100
Longtime former Chair of the Federal Reserve of the United States Alan Greenspan had died at 100. We're bringing you some of our coverage from Bloomberg's News Now, covering the latest global business stories around the world.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Weekend Listen: Anthropic's Co-Founder and Top Economist on Doing Research at the AI Frontier
There’s a lot to unpack with AI right now — everything from its potential impacts on the labor market and society to more extreme questions about existential risk. Anthropic, which builds frontier models like Mythos, Fable, and Claude, is actively grappling with these issues, including whether governments should limit AI development. Just last week, the Trump administration forced Anthropic to block foreign access to its two leading models. In this episode, Odd Lots co-hosts speak with Jack Clark (co-founder and head of public benefit) and Peter McCrory (head economist) about how Anthropic approaches safety and economic risks. We talk abou...
Everlane, Shein and the Decline of Millennial Optimism
Everlane, the sustainability-focused basics clothing brand, is being acquired by Shein, the e-commerce giant known for fast fashion. To Bloomberg’s Amanda Mull, the sale reflected how far consumers are or aren’t willing to go to shop their values—and marked Everlane as the latest direct-to-consumer company to struggle.
On today’s Big Take podcast, we hear from Mull, Everlane shoppers and the brand’s co-founder Michael Preysman, to understand where the company went wrong and what its sale could mean for the future of retail.
Read more:
E-Commerce Giant Shein Buys Apparel Brand Everl...How the NBA is Cashing In on Its Biggest Postseason in Decades
New Yorkers turned out by the thousands on Thursday to celebrate the Knicks’ first NBA Finals victory in 53 years. But Jalen Brunson and co. weren’t the only big winners.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Jason Kelly – host of Bloomberg’s The Deal With Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly – and business of sports reporter Randall Williams tell Sarah Holder about the business side of the most-watched NBA finals since 1998, and how the series bolstered the fortunes of everyone from merch sellers and New York bars to, of course, the NBA itself.
Read more: NY Knicks Fans...
The Federal Reserve Enters Its Kevin Warsh Era
The US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged in their first meeting under new Chairman Kevin Warsh today. The policy makers were split on whether they expect to raise rates this year, and Warsh himself declined to submit a forecast.
Warsh also held his first, highly anticipated press conference. Bloomberg’s Enda Curran was there and joins host David Gura to talk through big changes at the US Federal Reserve.
Read more: The Fed’s New Dot Plot After Its June Policy Meeting
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bl...
The Iran War’s Lasting Scars Across Asia
An interim deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz offers relief, but Asia’s economic woes are far from over. Beyond the chokepoint, the conflict has forced long-lasting shifts in Asia’s food and energy flows.
On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, Oanh Ha joins Odd Lots co-hosts Tracy Alloway and Joe Weisenthal to discuss why Asia is reeling from the conflict and what the “new normal” looks like for global supply chains.
Hosted by Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang; Reported by Tracy Alloway, Joe Weisenthal; Edited by Patrick Hirsch, Julia Weaver.
How the US and Iran Might Spin Their Deal to End the War
After nearly four months of fighting, the US and Iran have declared a memorandum of understanding aimed at halting hostilities between the two sides and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Oil fell and stocks rose on the announcement that the conflict could soon be over, but a lack of details and ongoing fighting between Israel and Iran’s proxies in Lebanon have left many wondering if this is just a temporary reprieve.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Sarah Holder and Bloomberg National Security Editor Nick Wadhams look at what each side wants in a deal, how Isra...
Weekend Listen: Why 2026 Is Beginning to Look Like 1929 (with Andrew Ross Sorkin)
Almost a century after the Wall Street crash of 1929, Andrew Ross Sorkin says he believes some of its most dangerous ingredients are reappearing. Joining Stephanie Flanders on Trumponomics, the financial journalist and author of 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History argues that today’s market is filled with “eerie parallels” to the late 1920s. These include a transformative new technology, a flood of retail investors and a growing willingness to loosen the rules.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
SpaceX’s Record-Breaking Wall Street Debut
SpaceX went public today, with the largest IPO in history. Following months of buildup, shares opened at $150 and were trading at $161.11 at market close.
On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with Bloomberg Tech’s Ed Ludlow to discuss the record-breaking deal and what it means for Elon Musk, everyday investors and other companies on the brink of going public.
This is a developing story. We are live blogging at Bloomberg.com with the latest from across the globe.
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at B...
The Most Profitable World Cup in History
The 2026 World Cup kicks off today in Mexico City. It’ll be the largest in FIFA’s history, spanning three host countries and 48 competing teams and is expected to generate between $11 and $13 billion.
But the tournament’s expansion comes at the expense of fans navigating a new dynamic pricing model and cities shouldering overhead costs. On today’s Big Take, host David Gura, Bloomberg’s Vanessa Perdomo and economist Andrew Zimbalist track who stands to profit the most from the people’s game.
Read more: The Hidden Cost of the Most Expensive World Cup Ever
Listen...
In the $100 Billion Wedding Economy, Hiring a Witch Is More Than Hocus Pocus
Weddings are famously expensive. But with consumer prices on the rise and inflation accelerating at its fastest pace in three years last month, 2026’s newlyweds face exceptionally high prices.
On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg’s Josyana Joshua and Dina Katgara unpack the $100 billion wedding economy: how much nuptials could set you back, why discretionary spending on weddings has remained stable on either end of the K-shaped economy and why witches—yes, witches—are showing up at the altar.
Read more: Brides Are Turning to Etsy Witches for Wedding Weather Spells
...China Tightens Its Grip on Billions in Offshore Wealth
Offshore trading has long given Chinese investors access to global markets — often through legal gray areas. Now, Beijing is stepping in with its biggest crackdown in decades.
On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg’s Lulu Chen about the sweeping restrictions and why Beijing is tightening controls over money leaving the country. We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Read more: China Targets Offshore Billions in Biggest Crackdown in Decades
Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng, Yang Ya...
The Races That Will Shape the Midterms
The field for 2026 US midterm elections is coming into focus, with key primaries this week in Maine and South Carolina, as well as bellwether state elections in California.
On today’s Big Take podcast, hosts Sarah Holder and David Gura check in with political correspondent Nancy Cook and California reporter Eliyahu Kamisher about what this week’s results — and the next five months — mean for midterm elections with the potential to profoundly shape US politics.
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.
Hosted by Sarah Holder and Davi...
Weekend Listen: FIFA’s Jill Ellis on the the World Cup
Jill Ellis has seen soccer from every angle: as an elite player, as the two-time World Cup champion coach of the U.S. Women’s National Team and as an NWSL team president. She is bringing this expertise to FIFA as the organization’s first Chief Football Officer. As one of the chief architects of the global game, she is the ultimate World Cup insider.
In this episode of The Deal, Jill tells Jason and Alex what is worrying and exciting her leading up to the kick off of the 2026 World Cup on June 11th (yes, we talk...
Can AI Save This Failing Rural Economy?
By many metrics, Meta is falling behind in the AI race. So CEO Mark Zuckerberg is building one of the largest data centers in the world — a facility the size of about 3,000 football fields in one of the poorest regions in the US.
On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg reporter Riley Griffin, who traveled to Richland Parish, Louisiana, to hear from residents about the risks and opportunities they see as Meta comes to town. Will they reap the benefits? Or trade in one uncertain economy for another?
Read more...
We Went to Interview Bolivia’s President and a Riot Broke Out
President Rodrigo Paz ended 20 years of socialist rule in Bolivia with promises of unity, democracy and prosperity — and plans to tap the country’s mineral wealth. But when host David Gura went to Bolivia to interview the president, he found a harsher reality: demonstrators blockading La Paz’s streets to demand the president’s resignation.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Gura shows how centuries-old distrust of government is complicating President Paz’s efforts to persuade Bolivians – and investors – that this time is different.
We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/po...
