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.

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What It Takes to Negotiate With China Friday, May 16, 2025

As of this week, the trade war between the US and China is on pause, with both sides hoping to agree on a new trade deal by early August. But questions remain about how realistic that timetable could be, given the challenges facing the world’s two largest economies, who both collaborate and compete with one another. On today’s Big Take podcast, Former US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns joins host David Gura to discuss the trade war, the challenges facing his successor and what he’s telling foreign policy students who are worried about the future of diplomacy. “We’ve gotta steel ourselves for the next decade or two to a historic competition with China. And China right now is stronger.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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President Trump’s Plans to Monetize the Middle East Thursday, May 15, 2025

President Trump is wrapping a whirlwind trip to the Middle East — complete with a flurry of proposed investment deals , controversial gifts and a major shift in US-Syria policy. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Joumanna Bercetche joins host David Gura to unpack the biggest headlines from the president’s tour of the Persian Gulf and discuss what they tell us about his larger plans for the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Small Towns Are Getting Hooked on ICE Detention Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking immigrants up. A lucrative ICE contract keeps a private detention facility open that local politicians say the area needs. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Rachel Adams-Heard and Fola Akinnibi examine how these private facilities are becoming key to the US government’s immigration crackdown – and the financial incentives making it harder for small communities to quit them. Read more: Addicted to ICESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How India and Pakistan Averted War Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Last week, India and Pakistan saw the worst fighting in half a century — and came close to an all-out war. But the conflict came to an uneasy and sudden halt after Donald Trump declared the two countries reached a ceasefire. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg’s Dan Strumpf about how the deadly clashes and ceasefire unfolded and the implications of US mediation in the decades-old conflict. Read more: Trump Truce Leaves India Furious, Pakistan Elated as Risks LoomFurther listening: The Rise of Modi, Part 1: Why India’s Leader Is So Popular – and Polarizing The Rise of Modi, Part 2: How India’s Leader Came Back From the BrinkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Is the US-China Trade War Over? Monday, May 12, 2025

In a stunning turn of events, the US and China announced a dramatic reduction in tariffs, which President Trump portrayed as a “total reset” with China. Stocks rose following the news, but what lies ahead once the 90-day reprieve expires remains uncertain. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Treasury reporter Dan Flatley joins host David Gura to discuss the major takeaways from these latest negotiations and what they could mean for the world’s two largest economies. Read more: ‘Buy America’ Sweeps Across Global Markets After Trade Talks China Tariff Relief Spurs Shipping Rush, U-Turn on Price Hikes Nasdaq 100 Enters Bull Market After US-China Truce: Markets Wrap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's Behind the World's Matcha Shortage Friday, May 9, 2025

Japan has a matcha shortage despite record levels of production. Shops are selling out of the green tea powder as soon as they hit the shelves. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Mia Glass about the world’s obsession with matcha – and why producers can’t keep up with the rising demand. Read more: The Global Matcha Boom Is Driving a Shortage in JapanFurther listening: Japan’s Small Businesses Have a Problem. They Don’t Know How to Raise PricesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Big Tech Is on Trial. What That Means for the Future of the Internet Thursday, May 8, 2025

Google has lost two antitrust cases in the past year; Meta is currently in court over alleged anti-competitive behavior. Big Tech is in a moment of reckoning that could reshape the industry – and your internet use – for decades to come. Today on the Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier and Sara Forden join host Sarah Holder to unpack the trials seeking to rein in Silicon Valley. Will the antitrust cases against Google and Meta help innovation flourish, or kill America’s chances at AI dominance? Read more: Apple Eyes Move to AI Search, Ending Era Defined by GoogleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Telemarketers’ New Trick to Sell Bare-Bones Health Plans Wednesday, May 7, 2025

A few years ago, a former sitcom writer came up with a weird way to sell Americans cheap health plans, using a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. More than 100,000 households have signed up, but many say the coverage isn’t what they were promised. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Zach Mider shares what he learned while investigating the plans and what it could mean for the American health-care system if more people turn to them. Read more: A Former TV Writer Found a Health-Care Loophole That Threatens to Blow Up ObamacareSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How a CEO’s Faked Results Led to a $300 Million Wipeout Tuesday, May 6, 2025

In late 2018, five years after launching fish-feeding company eFishery, Gibran Huzaifah found himself all out of cash. To save his business, the CEO started plugging fake numbers into financial reports. The brighter picture drew hundreds of millions of investor dollars. But his house of cards was doomed to collapse. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's David Ramli about the fall of eFishery and what it says about the risks of venture capital investing. Read more: CEO Explains How He Faked Results in $300 Million MeltdownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Warren Buffett Passes the Baton Monday, May 5, 2025

Warren Buffett shocked shareholders when he announced he’d be stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The 94-year-old business giant had been running the behemoth company for more than 50 years, and his investment decisions have earned him the nickname the “Oracle of Omaha.” On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg senior markets editor and Opinion columnist John Authers unpacks how Warren Buffett changed investing, what it would take for successors to fill his shoes and whether Berkshire Hathaway is headed for a break-up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Your Morning Commute Could Get Way Worse Friday, May 2, 2025

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the US government stepped in with aid to keep mass transit agencies afloat. But that money is running out and ridership hasn’t rebounded.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sri Taylor and Aaron Gordon join host David Gura to discuss why advocates now fear many transit systems are on the verge of a so-called “death spiral” — a vicious cycle of less funding, low ridership and cuts to services that could impact everyone’s commute. Read more: A $6 Billion Shortfall Has US Mass Transit Facing a Death Spiral See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Earnings Are In. Companies Can’t Hide From Tariffs Anymore Thursday, May 1, 2025

One month after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, Q1 earnings reports for a range of US companies are in. On today’s episode, Bloomberg’s Shelly Banjo joins host Sarah Holder to talk through what those reports are revealing about companies’ reactions to Trump’s trade war. Are they pausing, pivoting or panicking? Read more of Shelly Banjo’s work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How Goldman Sachs Is Thinking About Tariffs Wednesday, April 30, 2025

The uncertainty caused by Trump’s tariff policies has been spooking business leaders and roiling the markets. And according to Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, there could be more economic pain ahead — at least in the short term. Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg editor-at-large Francine Lacqua sits down with Solomon at the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund’s annual investment conference in Oslo. He shares his thoughts on the fate of the US dollar as a reserve currency, opportunities for new investment in European markets and his predictions for global growth in the coming year. Read more: Goldman’s Solomon Says Markets to ‘Settle Down’ After ChaosSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What a Liberal Victory Means for Canada and the Trade War Tuesday, April 29, 2025

In electing Mark Carney as prime minister, Canadians have given him and the Liberal Party a mandate. But it was a narrow victory — one that will require Carney to work with another party to achieve his priorities. His most urgent: trade talks with US President Donald Trump. On today’s Big Take podcast, David Gura sits down with Canadian government reporter Brian Platt in Ottawa to discuss the results of the election, what a fourth consecutive Liberal term means for the country’s future and how Carney might try to position Canada in trade negotiations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Inside Trump’s First 100 Days Monday, April 28, 2025

President Trump will celebrate 100 days back in office this week. The milestone comes amid a US-China trade war, ongoing conflict overseas and high-stakes battles over the future of higher education.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove joins host David Gura to take stock of how Trump has used the last three months to reshape everything from global trade and immigration to the American presidency — and what they reveal about the road ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Top Colleges Are Too Costly — Even for Parents Making $300K Friday, April 25, 2025

Tuition at US colleges and universities is higher than ever. But an exclusive new Bloomberg analysis reveals that the cost of a four-year degree is particularly burdensome for middle class students and their families. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Francesca Maglione and Paulina Cachero join David Gura to break down the real cost of attending the most selective colleges and universities in the US — and how that cost changes depending on how much a family makes.Read more: Top Colleges Are Too Costly Even for Parents Making $300,000See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Americans With Disabilities Making Under Minimum Wage Thursday, April 24, 2025

For decades, workers, disability advocates and employers have debated a program called 14(c), a section of employment law that lets companies pay certain employees with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage. Proponents say the program provides opportunities for people who might not find them elsewhere. Critics say it’s exploitative and stigmatizing. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg senior reporter Josh Eidelson joins host Sarah Holder to dig into the debate over subminimum wage and the future of the program under President Trump. Read more: It’s Legal to Pay US Workers With Disabilities as Little as 25¢ an HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How Trump’s Tariffs Are Hitting Global Economic Growth Wednesday, April 23, 2025

The International Monetary Fund released a forecast this week projecting that global GDP will grow just 2.8% — down half a percentage point since US President Donald Trump unleashed a raft of tariffs on April 2. Their projection for US GDP growth was particularly grim: Down nearly an entire percentage point from expectations earlier this year. And they’re not alone. As economists try to measure the potential outcome from the current trade war and the whiplash of on-again-off-again tariffs, Bloomberg Economics landed on similar GDP projections On today’s episode of the Big Take, host Sarah Holder is joined by Bloomberg’s Enda Curran and Bloomberg Economics Chief Economist Tom Orlik to discuss what these projections can — and can’t — tell us about where the trade war could lead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Chinese Toy Company Defying the Trade War Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Chinese toy company Pop Mart is one of the hottest stocks this year thanks to the wild popularity of its Labubu dolls and other blind box toys. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg Opinion’s Shuli Ren about how the company’s business model could help it ride out the trade-war storm. Read more: China’s ‘Blind Box’ Magic Breeds Millions of Peter PansFurther listening: How China’s BYD Became King of the Affordable EVSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Can Trump Tell Powell ‘You’re Fired'? Monday, April 21, 2025

President Trump’s attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell just keep coming. Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg’s Michael McKee and Saleha Mohsin join Sarah Holder and David Gura to ask: Can the president actually fire Powell? And what impact could his ongoing threats have on the US dollar and global financial markets? Read more: Markets Are Discovering the Real Trump Trade Is ‘Sell America’See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.