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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Cruises Are So Back — And Straining Port Cities Monday, June 30, 2025

The cruise industry is an outlier right now. Even as US summer travel is down, cruise companies are setting sail with record numbers of passengers this year. But as the industry tries to keep up with this demand, it’s facing growing pains in the port cities it relies on most. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Redd Brown travels to Galveston, Texas — a port city that’s at the center of the industry’s ambitious expansion plans, and that is wrestling with the challenges that opportunity brings. Read more: Why Two Million Tourists Are Boarding Cruise Ships on a Texas IslandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Zohran Mamdani, the Socialist Who Could Be NYC's New Mayor Sunday, June 29, 2025

This week, Zohran Mamdani won the first round of the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City, making him the presumptive party nominee and the early favorite to win November's general election. Endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, he's proposing rent freezes, universal childcare, higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, free buses, and city-run grocery stores.On today’s Big Take podcast, we’re featuring an interview Mamdani did with Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway for the Odd Lots podcast a few weeks ago.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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For $10 Billion Dollars, the Lakers' Buss Family Steps Off the Court Friday, June 27, 2025

Late last week, the Buss family, longtime owners of the Los Angeles Lakers, announced that they would sell the franchise for a record-breaking $10 billion valuation. On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura and Bloomberg’s sports business reporter Randall Williams break down what we know about the deal so far and discuss why America’s wealthiest families seem to be getting out of the game. Read more: Los Angeles Lakers Confirms Majority Stake Sale to Mark Walter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Gap's Quest to Stay Cool Just Hit Its Latest Roadblock: Tariffs Thursday, June 26, 2025

At the start of 2025, Gap was cool again. The legacy American brand had started to turn around sales and rebuild its image. It was in the middle of a splashy ad campaign with the actress Parker Posey. Influencers were posting its clothes online. But then President Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Amanda Mull and Lily Meier walk host Sarah Holder through Gap’s history, its recent re-invention and the challenges it faces now. Plus, we hear from Richard Dickson himself. Read more: Inside Gap’s Last-Ditch, Tariff-Addled Turnaround PushSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Where the China-Iran Relationship Goes From Here Wednesday, June 25, 2025

China is Iran’s biggest trading partner, and sources about 14% of its oil from the country. Between China’s economic relationship with Iran and its ongoing trade negotiations with the US, the conflict between Israel and Iran, and especially US involvement, has put China in a difficult position. Today on Big Take Asia, host Oanh Ha is joined by John Liu, who oversees Bloomberg’s China coverage from Beijing, to discuss what’s at stake for China in Iran and how the conflict could change China’s game plan – not just in the Middle East, but on the global stage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Lead Negotiator of Previous Iran Deal on the Odds of Another Tuesday, June 24, 2025

President Trump lashed out at Iran and Israel today over concerns that a ceasefire between the two was already breaking down. But going from a fragile truce to lasting peace is complicated, particularly as Iran tries to advance its nuclear ambitions. On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with former US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, who helped negotiate an Iran deal reached in 2015, and with Bloomberg’s Nick Wadhams. They discuss the current state of Iran’s nuclear program, what’s succeeded at the negotiating table in the past and President Trump’s objectives as he tries to broker a deal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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There’s War in the Middle East. Why Are Oil Prices Falling? Monday, June 23, 2025

The conventional wisdom used to be that war in the Middle East would send oil prices soaring. Not anymore.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Opinion’s Javier Blas and host Sarah Holder talk about the emergence of the US as the world’s largest oil producer — and how that new power dynamic is playing out in the war in Iran.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What’s Next for Iran, Israel and the US Monday, June 23, 2025

The United States conducted airstrikes on three of Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend, marking a dramatic escalation of the US’s involvement in Israel’s deepening war with Tehran.On today’s Big Take Podcast, Bloomberg national security and intelligence reporter Natalia Drozdiak and Israel Bureau Chief Ethan Bronner join host Sarah Holder to talk through what led to President Trump’s decision to strike, how the surprise attack happened and what comes next. Read more: A Weakened Iran Can Still Inflict Pain on the US — and the WorldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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President Trump’s 12 Billion Dollar Tourism Wipeout Friday, June 20, 2025

Global tariff wars, multi-country travel bans, detentions and phone-seizures at the border. President Trump’s “America first” policies create a grim picture for one group in particular: international tourists. Foreign visitors to the US have been on the rise since the pandemic, with analysts previously expecting 2025 to be a bumper year for tourism. That is, until President Trump’s second term began. This drop in tourism is forecasted to cost the American economy $12.5 billion this year. On Today’s episode of the Big Take, host David Gura sits down with Bloomberg reporter and Big Take Asia host K. Oanh Ha to look at the state of the tourism industry in the US, and where in the world tourists are going instead. Read more: Trump’s $12 Billion Tourism Wipeout The US Is on Track to Lose $12 Billion in Travel Revenue in 2025 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Doing the Math on Trump’s Tax Bill Thursday, June 19, 2025

As the debate about President Trump’s tax bill — known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — plays out among lawmakers in Washington, there’s been increasingly heated criticism of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. It calculates the costs and savings from the bill — including from the White House. On today’s episode of the Big Take, host Saleha Mohsin sits down with CBO director Phillip Swagel to hear how his agency churns out economic forecasts from inside the center of a political storm. Further listening: Stephen Miran Explains Why There’s No Secret Dollar PactSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How China Is Building a Powerful Army of Hackers Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Teams from China used to dominate international hacking competitions, until Beijing ordered them to stop attending and take part only in domestic tournaments. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Jamie Tarabay about how tournaments are helping boost China’s cyber-espionage capabilities and what that means for the world. Read more: Chinese Hacking Competitions Fuel the Country’s Broad Cyber Ambitions - BloombergSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Why Trump Ditched the G-7 Summit Tuesday, June 17, 2025

President Trump was in Canada this week for the Group of Seven summit. But after dinner on Monday night, Trump left early, citing the conflict in the Middle East. On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura speaks with Bloomberg’s Nick Wadhams in Calgary to unpack what Trump’s move could mean for Ukraine, the Middle East, trade — and for G-7 summits going forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Where Does the Israel-Iran Conflict Go From Here? Monday, June 16, 2025

Conflict between Iran and Israel has been simmering for decades — but escalated rapidly in the last few days after Israel bombed key nuclear facilities in Iran. As world leaders convene for the G-7 in Canada this week — many are concerned about the prospect of continued fighting and a broader regional conflict. Today on the Big Take podcast, Golnar Motevalli, who covers Iran for Bloomberg, joins host Sarah Holder to discuss the on-the-ground reality in both countries, the choices facing their heads of state and what other world leaders might do to encourage a deescalation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Live from Hong Kong: Why China Can Afford to Wait for a Deal, and the US Can’t Sunday, June 15, 2025

Today on the Big Take, we bring you a new episode of Trumponomics, straight from the live stage at Bloomberg’s Hong Kong Invest conference. Stephanie Flanders leads a panel from the Hong Kong Invest conference to unpack the latest round of high-stakes trade talks between the US and China, exploring why Beijing may still have the upper hand and how far any decoupling of the two economies will go. She's joined by Robin Xing, Chief China Economist at Morgan Stanley, Lotus Asset Management Chief Investment Officer Hao Hong, and Bloomberg reporter Rebecca Choong Wilkins. Further reading: Why China Can Afford to Wait for a Deal, and the US Can’tSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Bloomberg’s Interview With UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Friday, June 13, 2025

Ahead of next week’s G-7 Summit in Calgary, Canada, Bloomberg Weekend Editor-at-Large Mishal Husain sat down for an exclusive interview with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The wide-ranging conversation touched on Israel’s ongoing strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the US-UK trade agreement, defense spending and more. Read more: Starmer Says UK Has ‘Grave Concerns’ on Iran Nuclear Program Starmer Signals Support for 3.5% NATO Aim With Talks on Date Update on June 16: Corrects spelling of Keir Starmer in episode descriptionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Everything We Know About the Air India Crash Thursday, June 12, 2025

Moments after taking off, an Air India flight bound for London from an airport in Western India crashed with over 200 passengers on board. Hundreds have died and a search for survivors is ongoing. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Benedikt Kammel joins host Sarah Holder on what the crash of Boeing’s marquee 787 Dreamliner means for the company and the commercial aviation industry at large.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Fed Chair Scott Bessent? The Race to Replace Jay Powell Wednesday, June 11, 2025

President Trump says his decision on who will succeed Fed Chair Jerome Powell “is coming out very soon.” And according to new reporting from Bloomberg’s Nancy Cook and Saleha Mohsin, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is a contender for the job. On today’s Big Take podcast, Nancy and Saleha join host David Gura to discuss the president’s Apprentice-style approach to selecting a Fed Chair, what he wants in Powell’s replacement and how that might impact Fed independence. Read more: Bessent Emerging as a Contender to Succeed Fed’s PowellSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The US and China’s High-Stakes Diplomacy Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Representatives for the US and China are in London this week trying to hammer out a potential trade deal. But with US access to China’s rare-earth minerals and China’s access to US semiconductor chips on the table, common ground has been hard to come by. On today’s episode, Big Take host Sarah Holder speaks to Bloomberg’s Brendan Murray, who’s on the ground in London. And Big Take Asia host K Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s John Liu about China’s thinking and what a deal could mean for both countries. Read more: China, US Haggle Over Details as Trade Talks Stretch OnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What Happens Next in Los Angeles? Monday, June 9, 2025

Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg national immigration reporter Alicia Caldwell joins host David Gura from Los Angeles to discuss the protests over ICE immigration raids, the clash between California and the federal government and how this fight could play out in other cities and in the courts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The New Economics of Broadway Friday, June 6, 2025

Broadway has always been a high-risk, high-reward kind of business — but with costs to mount a production higher than ever, producers are leaning into new strategies to try to recoup investments. Now, as Broadway wraps its highest-grossing season on record, the hottest tickets to celebrity-studded shows are going for upwards of $800. On today’s Big Take podcast, we speak with two Tony Award-winning producers, Daryl Roth and Lucas Katler, about what it takes to succeed these days in show business, and we hear from Bloomberg Pursuits’ Chris Rovzar about what Broadway’s new economic reality means for tourism, for art and for what audiences pay at the box office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.