Big Take

Checking the Math on Trump’s $2,000 Checks

24 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Under new pressures over inflation and affordability, President Donald Trump has been talking up a plan to share tariff revenues with Americans, in th...

Weekend Listen: The Godmother of AI, Fei-Fei Li

23 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stanford University Professor Fei-Fei Li has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence research for 25 years, which is why she’s been cal...

Harassment Concerns at Oxford Went Unaddressed for Years

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Oxford University has repeatedly been slow to act when confronted with allegations of harassment, assault and inappropriate behavior by male academics...

Nvidia Silences AI Skeptics (For Now)

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nvidia released its third quarter earnings Wednesday, crushing estimates and easing Wall Street’s concerns about an AI bubble. On today’s ...

The Hot Market for Jobs No One Wants

19 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a period characterized as “low-hire, low-fire,” the American labor market is seeing a surge of layoffs from companies like Amazon, S...

China Tests the Limits in the Race for Biotech Power

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

China is investing heavily in cutting-edge genetic experiments. It’s part of their quest to become a biotech superpower. On today’s Big Ta...

How Private Equity Got Its Hands on Billions in Americans’ Retirement Money

17 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Apollo Global Management reinvented how pensions could be managed and paid out — by taking them over and moving the risks offshore. Other firms ...

Weekend Listen: Former UK Spy Chief Was Paid to Steal Secrets, Not Solve Mysteries

16 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For almost 40 years, Richard Moore was a career spy in Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service. Only his closest friends and family knew what he d...

They Voted for Trump. His Tariffs Took Down Their Family-Owned Sawmill

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For years, Mackeys Ferry Sawmill in North Carolina relied on exporting its goods to China and Vietnam after a dip in domestic demand for high-quality ...

The Most Worrying — and Reassuring — Signals in the US Economy

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In recent weeks, a number of economic warning signs have put investors on edge, from growing skepticism over the possibility of an AI bubble to bankru...

Trump Promised Revenge. He’s Using the DOJ to Make It Happen

12 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When President Trump took office in January, he made it clear that retribution against his perceived political enemies was a key part of his second-te...

Wall Street Speeds Up India Expansion

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Wall Street banks are on a hiring spree across India, recruiting workers for everything from software engineering to risk management as part of a deca...

Why a K-Shaped US Economy Is Raising Red Flags

10 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The US economy appears remarkably resilient right now, but if you look closer, you’ll see a different picture emerge: a growing divide between A...

Weekend Listen: Julia Ioffe Wants You to Know Russia Is Bigger Than Putin

09 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How do you tell the history of a whole country through its women? And what can it tell us about the world today? These are the questions Russian-Ameri...

What’s Trump’s Venezuela Endgame?

07 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The United States has struck more than a dozen boats off the coast of Venezuela over the last two months, killing more than 60 people.The Trump admini...

How the Longest Government Shutdown Is Impacting the Economy

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The ongoing US government shutdown has broken historic records — and its economic consequences could prove even longer-lasting. Today on the Big...

Mamdani Won on Affordability. Can He Win Over NYC’s 1 Percent?

05 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Zohran Mamdani clinched New York City’s mayoral race by campaigning against wealth inequality and promoting affordability. Now, he faces the cha...

How APEC Become a Battleground for US-China Influence

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Asian nations are walking a tightrope between Washington and Beijing – juggling trade, tech and security pressures as the heavyweights vie for i...

It’s Not Just You. There Are a Lot of Layoffs Happening

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The last time the United States saw layoff numbers this high was during the Covid-19 pandemic. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg US Economy...

Weekend Listen: Nobel Laureate Believes US Pressure on Maduro Is the Only Way

02 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Three weeks after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado finds herself supporting US interventi...

WNBA Players Want More of the League’s Revenue. Can They Get It?

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The WNBA is bigger than ever. From soaring ticket sales and to record TV viewership, the W is one of the fastest-growing sports leagues in the world. ...

Trump Got an ‘Amazing’ Meeting. China Got Much-Needed Time

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On Thursday, President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping of China announced a one-year truce in their trade war, capping six contentious months of...

Is the Fed Flying Blind?

29 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points, following its 25-basis-point cut in September. But amid a government shutd...

An American Toymaker Struggles to Break Up With China

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The US-China tariff war has upended global manufacturing, forcing companies like Chicago-based Learning Resources to fundamentally change how and wher...

New York’s MTA Chief on Trump’s Funding Threats

27 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Running North America’s largest transportation network is no easy task. Janno Lieber, the CEO and Chair of New York’s Metropolitan Transpo...

Weekend Listen: Nigel Farage Thinks Britain Has Had Too Many Unifiers

26 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After successfully pushing for Brexit, political disruptor Nigel Farage announced his retirement. Last year, he returned to frontline politics as the ...

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Shutdown Day 23

24 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On day 23 of the second-longest government shutdown in American history, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sits down with Big Take Host David Gura...

How Did an Alaska Native Corporation Become an ICE Detention Giant?

23 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Over the last decade, Nana Regional Corp. — an Alaska Native corporation based in a small community roughly 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle ...

Xi’s Rare Earths Bargaining Chip Is a Trade War Game Changer

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

China’s dominance of rare earths has given Xi Jinping powerful leverage over Donald Trump ahead of their expected meeting next week.  On to...

The Race to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some of the biggest names in tech and Hollywood are training their sights on Warner Bros. Discovery, the media and entertainment conglomerate that own...

A Brazen, 7-Minute Jewelry Heist at the Louvre

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In just seven minutes, thieves in France made off with a cache of royal necklaces, tiaras and earrings in a robbery at Paris’s famous Louvre &md...

Weekend Listen: Mishal Husain Interviews Canadian PM Mark Carney

19 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney talks to Mishal Husain about trade battles, Vladimir Putin's miscalculations and what he's learned from Donald Tru...

Amex v. Chase: Who Will Win the Battle for America’s Top Shoppers?

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The competition for America’s wealthiest shoppers is heating up, with credit card companies like American Express and Chase using every perk in ...

Why Global Economic Leaders Are Predicting a Slowdown

16 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are holding their annual meetings in Washington, DC and so is the Institute of Internati...

What’s Driving The Rush to Invest in Gold

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gold always shines during uncertain times, but escalating tensions between the US and China and signals from the Federal Reserve that we could see at ...

Having a Baby? This Company Will Give You $72,000

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

South Korean companies are offering workers tens of thousands of dollars (tax free) to have babies. But are cash incentives enough to address the coun...

The Front Lines of Trump's Trade War? Look at Kentucky

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There’s an unexpected place starting to feel the impact of US President Donald Trump’s trade war: Kentucky.  Bloomberg’s Josh W...

The Rebel Army Behind One of the World’s Major Rare-Earth Supplies

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Myanmar is the world’s third-largest producer of rare earths and a critical supplier for neighboring China. But rebels have recently taken contr...

The International Pressure That Led to the Israel-Hamas Ceasefire

09 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Escalating international and economic pressure led to a new peace deal in Gaza. On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder is joined by Bloo...

The AI Deals Raising Fears of a New Tech Bubble

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

OpenAI and AMD. OpenAI and Nvidia. Oracle and OpenAI. Nvidia and Oracle. There is so much AI-on-AI dealmaking happening in the industry right now, it ...

The Rise of Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’ and Its Political Shift to the Right

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the first time in history, Japan’s ruling party has elected a woman as its leader. Sanae Takaichi, 64, is an unconventional figure — a...

Pay Up Or Move Out: The Americans Losing Their Homes to ‘Zombie’ Mortgages

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

They’re called “zombie” mortgages: old second loans from the subprime era that many homeowners had good reason to believe were cance...

Will the Shutdown Lead to DOGE 2.0?

05 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the Big Take, we hear from our colleagues over at Everybody's Business, Stacey Vanek Smith and Max Chafkin. This week’s topics inc...

Welcome to Undergrad. Meet Your 81-Year-Old Classmate

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A growing number of colleges and universities across the US are trying to address dwindling student enrollment and tight finances by opening their doo...

Even Six Figures Can’t Save You From NYC’s Rent Crisis

02 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The rent is too high…even for high-earning New Yorkers. In the wake of unprecedented rent hikes, residents across America's largest city are fi...

The Shutdown Will Make the Fed’s Decisions Harder

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The US government shutdown will have serious implications for the collection and distribution of federal economic data used to gauge the health of the...

AI Data Centers Use a Lot of Energy. You May Be Paying for It

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

AI needs a lot of energy — and a new Bloomberg investigation has found that those soaring costs are being passed on to consumers who live near d...

What a Looming Shutdown Means for Markets

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The US government is facing its first potential shutdown in nearly seven years, and the clock is ticking. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg...

The Kindbody Story: E5, The Baby Project

27 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A Kindbody employee discovers the company is helping an imprisoned billionaire father multiple children through surrogates and egg donors. In this epi...

The Kindbody Story: E4, Fertility Care, Meet Sales Targets

26 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kindbody implements quotas requiring doctors to perform more lucrative procedures, internal company documents show. In Episode 4 of IVF Disrupted: The...

Argentina’s Economy Is Struggling. Why Is the White House Stepping In?

25 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This week, President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent surprised markets when they signaled broad economic support — including a...

Trump vs. the UN

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The United States is responsible for about 20% of the UN’s annual budget. But it hasn’t paid its dues in months. And the UN Secretary-Gene...

Breaking Down the Proposed US-China TikTok Deal

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After months of negotiation, the US and China have reached a tentative agreement to secure TikTok’s future in the US. On today’s Big Take ...

How Private Equity Lost Its Mojo

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Fewer deals. Long wait times for returns on investments. Struggles with fundraising. Even with an interest rate cut, private equity, which thrives on ...

The Kindbody Story: E3, Rocketship to Nowhere

21 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kindbody doubles its size overnight through a major acquisition, with executives telling employees they'll be rich enough to buy private jets. In Epis...

The Kindbody Story: E2, The Embryo Mixup

20 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Dina and B arrive at Kindbody for the embryo transfer they've dreamed about for years. But their doctor delivers news that will make them question whe...

The Kindbody Story: E1, The Fertility Spa

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2018 a startup emerged, aiming to revolutionize fertility care with spa-like clinics and Silicon Valley swagger. Kindbody attracted millions from i...

Structured Products Are Back. Why the Boom and What’s the Catch?

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When he announced the Fed’s decision to lower interest rates by 25 basis points, Fed Chair Jerome Powell made clear there’s still a bumpy ...

Introducing IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story

18 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kindbody, one of the largest fertility companies in the US, sought to disrupt egg freezing and IVF by combining spa vibes with Silicon Valley efficien...

With Inflation Still Sticky, Fed Shifts Focus to the Jobs Market

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points, a move intended to address concerns about cracks in the labor market. It w...

The Gen Z Protestors Challenging Asia’s Ruling Elite

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Across South Asia, Gen Z protestors are flooding the streets, demanding change. These protests have resulted in some of the worst violence Nepal and I...

Tesla’s $1 Trillion Bet on Elon Musk’s Leadership

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On Monday, news broke that Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently bought about $1 billion worth of Tesla stock causing the company’s share price to jump. ...

What We Know About the Man Arrested for Charlie Kirk’s Death

12 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The FBI has identified 22-year-old Tyler Robinson as the suspect in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Robinson was arrested on suspic...

Trump Ally and Political Strategist Charlie Kirk Killed at 31

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Turning Point USA co-founder and close ally of President Donald Trump, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon while speaking at an even...

We Got 18,000 of Jeffrey Epstein’s Emails

11 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Bloomberg News has obtained 18,000 emails from Jeffrey Epstein’s personal email account. The emails cover two decades and a wide range of topics...

John Malone Laid the Groundwork for Cable TV. Then Streaming Arrived

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Billionaire John Malone earned the nickname “Cable Cowboy” for revolutionizing television and laying the groundwork for the modern interne...

Xi’s Bromance Diplomacy Is Challenging Trump’s World Order

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The leaders of China, Russia and India shared smiles and handshakes, putting on a surprising show of unity in a striking moment that went viral earlie...

Trump Is Unwinding Climate Science at a Dangerous Pace

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

By slashing budgets, cutting staff and revoking funding for grants and permits, the Trump administration has effectively gutted key U.S. climate polic...

A Judge Ruled Google Monopolized Search. Then Came AI

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On Tuesday, a federal judge reached a decision in a landmark antitrust case against Google and its monopoly over online search. But the company avoide...

Can a Smaller HUD Fix the Housing Crisis?

04 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

America is in the midst of a historic housing crisis, with record homelessness levels and a nationwide shortage of affordable housing. Addressing this...

Why Long-Term Bond Yields Are Up in the US, UK and Japan

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A global selloff in long-dated bonds — including 30-year UK gilts, US Treasuries and Japanese government bonds — has deepened. On today&rs...

What Xi Jinping’s Military Purge Means for China and the World

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Beijing is holding its first military parade since 2019, showcasing the strength of China’s armed forces. Underneath the show of power, a Bloomb...

The Crises Vying for Dwindling Foreign Aid

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The dismantling of USAID is contributing to a 17% drop in foreign aid this year. That’s put some of the world’s worst conflicts in competi...

The Latest Science on Extreme Heat: How Hot Is Too Hot?

29 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly half a million people die every year as a result of extreme heat. That’s more than the total from hurricanes, earthquakes and floods comb...

Taylor Swift Wedding Predictions Are the Hottest New Trade

28 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Gamblers on prediction sites like Polymarket and Kalshi are already trying to cash in on Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement — bett...

Trump Has a Shipbuilding Dream. Can South Korea Make It a Reality?

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

South Korean shipyards are busier than they’ve been in years. Seoul and Washington are working to finalize a new trade deal that will include a ...

Why Trump Is Trying to Fire Lisa Cook

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump shared a letter on social media Monday night, addressed to Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook stating he had made the dec...

What the End of the De Minimus Trade Loophole Means for Your Shopping

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This Friday, a big change is coming for the more than 4 million inexpensive packages that enter the US daily from abroad: President Donald Trump is en...

What Powell Said About the Possibility of a September Rate Cut

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a speech at the annual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium, Fed Chair Jerome Powell left the door open for a possible interest rate cut in Septe...

Welch’s Fruit Snacks Get a MAHA-Friendly Makeover

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Trump Administration wants to “make America healthy again” and one of its top priorities is removing artificial dyes from food. The co...

What Does It Cost to Replace a CEO?

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From Starbucks and Intel to Petco and Astronomer: top CEOs are getting replaced at record rates. And the costs of these ousters can spiral quickly, di...

What Could Happen Next in the Russia-Ukraine Peace Process

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After meeting with President Trump separately, Presidents Putin and Zelenskiy could be headed toward a pivotal face-to-face meeting to begin peace tal...

How The Hunger Crisis in Gaza Unfolded Despite Months of Warnings

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At this point in the war between Israel and Hamas, it’s difficult to get more than anecdotal evidence out of Gaza. Almost every organization tha...

Hims Wants to Keep Mailing You Copycat GLP-1s. It’s Getting Trickier.

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When a shortage of brand-name weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy cleared the way for companies like Hims to fill the gap with cheaper, compound...

Why Trump Is Letting Nvidia Sell (Some) AI Chips to China

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In an unusual deal, Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices have agreed to pay the US government 15% of their revenue from AI chips they sell to China. The ...

What’s at Stake Ahead of Trump-Putin Meeting

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Donald Trump is heading to Alaska to host a face-to-face meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin to talk about finally, maybe, ...

How China Is Bringing Hong Kong’s IPO Market Back to Life

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a years-long slump, Hong Kong’s IPO market is roaring back to life, thanks to a growing number of Chinese companies that are raising billi...

Who’s Really Paying for Tariffs? Hint: It’s Not Foreign Companies

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump’s so-called reciprocal tariffs have pushed the average US tariff rate to 15%, up from just over 2% last year. But who’s ac...

Who Will Win the Race for Greenland’s Rare Earths?

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For years, President Donald Trump has voiced his ambitions to expand the US presence in Greenland. But making that happen is easier said than done. Bl...

Private Equity Is Coming for Your 401(k)

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

US President Donald Trump just signed an executive order that aims to allow private equity into a $12 trillion piece of America’s retirement mar...

Inside the Trump Family’s Money-Making Machine

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since President Trump kicked off his reelection campaign in November 2022, his net worth has more than doubled — to roughly $6.4 billion. No mod...

India Won’t Stop Buying Russian Oil. Now It’s Paying the Price.

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump has been cranking up the pressure on India, a country the US has courted as a strategic counterweight against China. Last week, Trump ...

The World Trusts US Economic Data. Trump’s BLS Firing Could Change That.

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, the data collected by the apolitical Bureau of Labor Statistics was seen as a gold standard — informing decisions made by the Feder...

Is Trump’s Trade War Strategy Working?

01 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As President Donald Trump’s goalposts for his trade war continue to shift, Big Take host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg’s global tr...

Why It’s So Hard to Buy or Sell a House Right Now

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The US housing market just posted its slowest spring season in more than a dozen years. Experts are pointing to a combination of factors: high prices,...

The Promise of Stablecoin: A Cryptocurrency Meant to Be Boring

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

President Trump signed the Genius Act, the US’s first major federal cryptocurrency legislation, earlier this month. The law focuses on one type ...

China Bets Big on a $167 Billion Tibetan Dam

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

China is building the largest power plant the world has ever seen, in a very remote corner of Tibet. But the $167 billion hydropower dam has environme...

Crunching the Numbers on President Trump’s Trade War

27 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For months, the impact of President Trump’s aggressive trade policy has largely felt theoretical. But with an Aug. 1 tariff extension on the hor...

What Keeps Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan Up at Night

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. In a wide-ranging conversation, they...

Oil and Gas Made the University of Texas Rich. Can Green Energy Make It Richer?

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With more than $50 billion under management, Harvard has the largest college endowment in the United States. But the University of Texas is not far be...