Big Take

Russia escalated attacks on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv this past weekend. It’s the latest signal that Ukraine could face a brutal, decisive winter in this conflict. Meanwhile, the CIA director paid Moscow a visit last week, and “hybrid” attacks in Europe that have been linked to Russia are heightening concern among NATO countries that the conflict could widen as Russia takes t...

Meta has agreed to pay a $17 billion settlement over a range of claims related to the safety and privacy of its platforms, including youth use of social media. The outcome, announced last week, could have implications for other companies, too. On today’s Big Take Podcast, Bloomberg investigative reporter Olivia Carville talks to host Sarah Holder about the landmark case, and how new informat...

 A 12-foot grim reaper becomes a neighborhood war cry, and the preacher-podcaster crosses the street. Today on The Big Take: Chapter 4 of Our Town , a limited-run series from Bloomberg and The Big Take , hosted by Meribah Knight with Bloomberg’s Susan Berfield. Our Town tells the story of a battle over identity fought on one small town’s soil, where acreage, heritage, and what it...

With Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh set to deliver the biggest speech of his tenure on Friday, anticipation is spreading well beyond bankers and traders. Bond yields are rising, as global economies send up inflationary signals. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s efforts to tamp down rates by buying bonds may complicate the Fed’s approach. And the keynote speaker himself has suggested that...

Microdramas — mini soap operas designed to be watched on your phone — have become one of the fastest-growing forms of entertainment in the world. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg’s Yang Yang and Bloomberg Businessweek’s Christopher Beam about how millions got hooked on the medium, the challenges studios face as they try to reach...

After amassing US land for more than a century, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has recently started turning unused tracts into big suburban housing developments. On today’s Big Take podcast, commercial real estate reporter Natalie Wong and data journalist Ann Choi tell host Sarah Holder about the development plans of the church’s real estate arm, Property Reserve. They...

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Amanda Gordon and Emily Birnbaum join host Sarah Holder to discuss how political spending is shaping the US midterm elections, who is funding candidates behind the scenes and what’s at stake for both Republicans and Democrats. We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sara...

Backers of the venture are big fans of a town in Idaho where a preacher with a flamethrower tells our reporters how much he hates feminism. Today on The Big Take: Chapter 3 of Our Town , a limited-run series from Bloomberg and The Big Take , hosted by Meribah Knight with Bloomberg’s Susan Berfield. Our Town tells the story of a battle over identity fought on one small town’s soil, wher...

On today’s Big Take podcast, economy reporter Shawn Donnan walks David Gura through what eight years of tariffs have meant for steel mills, can manufacturers, food growers and consumers. And as the second Trump administration continues to pursue tariffs – see this week’s 11th-hour negotiations with Canada over the US’s latest proposed duties – Donnan looks at how manu...

On today’s Big Take podcast, Stacey Vanek Smith and Bloomberg Opinion’s John Authers unpack the bond market rollercoaster: a sell-off, the highest US 30-year bond yields since the financial crisis — and a sudden intervention. Read more:  The 30-Year Itch Comes for Bonds — and Brazi Further listening:  What Higher Bond Yields Mean for Markets and Everyday Borrowers...

North Korea was supposed to be broke and isolated. Now, it’s enjoying an unexpected economic boom. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, Bloomberg’s Cat Barton and host K. Oanh Ha unpack North Korea’s shift from pandemic-era hardship to a multibillion-dollar windfall, and discuss how the country’s newfound wealth is reshaping geopolitical alliances. Read more:  Kim J...

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is backing a bill that would challenge the subcontractor model Amazon relies on for last-mile deliveries, and the company is spending millions to fight it. On today’s Big Take podcast, reporters Spencer Soper and Josh Eidelson unpack what this bill could mean for the delivery drivers — and corporate America’s reliance on subcontractors more broa...

Diana looks into the town’s newest arrivals: What’s their deal — and who are their friends? Today on The Big Take: Chapter 2 of Our Town , a limited-run series from Bloomberg and The Big Take , hosted by Meribah Knight with Bloomberg’s Susan Berfield. Our Town tells the story of a battle over identity fought on one small town’s soil, where acreage, heritage, and what...

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake that devastated Colombia this week was also an immediate test for the country’s new Trump-aligned president. Abelardo de la Espriella, who campaigned on slashing Colombia's deficit and cracking down on armed rebel groups, now faces the prospect of  stalling coffee shipments and a costly relief effort, in his first week in office. On today’s Big Take po...

The launch of Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 model has taken the tech world — and Washington — by storm, raising urgent questions about how a Chinese startup can suddenly rival the world's most powerful AI systems. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg’s Mark Anderson about the distillation method behind Moonshot’s breakthrough and what it...

The online shopping app Phia raised over $43 million and captured media attention for its A-list investors and its high-profile co-founders — Phoebe Gates, daughter of Bill Gates, and her college roommate and podcast co-host Sophia Kianni. But Bloomberg reporting suggests that Phia was pushing features that took credit for sales it didn’t drive. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloom...

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s move to prop up the yen was as surprising as its impact was fleeting. By Monday, the yen lost half of its gains since last month’s intervention, raising questions about what comes next. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Daniel Flatley and Chris Anstey join David Gura to break down Bessent’s unorthodox currency strategy and...

Oh, the things you can find with an inquisitive mind – and a metal detector. Today we’re bringing you Chapter 1 of Our Town, a limited-run series from The Big Take , hosted by Meribah Knight with Bloomberg’s Susan Berfield. The series tells the story of a battle over identity fought on small town soil, where acreage, heritage, and what it means to be an American are all up for gr...

Situational Awareness, a hedge fund run by a 24-year-old hailed as “Nostradamus of AI”, swelled to $45 billion in assets until a mix of highly leveraged bets, short sellers and a market swoon threw it into crisis. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Katherine Burton and Hema Parmar join Sarah Holder to discuss how risky bets led the fund to the brink and whether the ep...

When new neighbors move into Gainesboro, Tennessee, a small town at the foothills of Appalachia, locals are confused. Who are these self-proclaimed pioneers? And what do they want with their little town? Locals soon discover the new arrivals are connected to something much larger: A network of far-right Christians who have ties to Washington and are backed by venture capital. This is a story about...

For generations, women have struggled to access information about menopause and how best to treat its symptoms. Social media and the rise of telehealth have filled some of that gap, giving way to a $19 billion economy. But is the commercial menopause marketplace serving women or leaving them behind? On today’s Big Take podcast, health and science journalist Kristen V. Brown explores the bene...

As the Japanese yen hit a 40-year low against the US dollar, Japan's government stepped in to support its currency. And it has a powerful ally in US President Donald Trump, who is putting the US financial might behind the historic currency intervention in what he called a “signal of friendship.” On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with chief Asia foreign e...

US crude prices fell below $80 for much of the day Monday as oil traders factored in a potential deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But even as reports of imminent peace deals or attacks jolt oil markets, fuel prices at US gas stations have remained high. Late last week, US oil companies Exxon and Chevron reported their biggest profits in years. On today’s Big Take podcast, oil reporter Mi...

Insurers have quietly become a major driver of the private credit boom, with numerous private equity shops striking deals with insurance companies or buying them outright. But the entanglement with private credit is also changing the insurance industry itself, raising a number of questions about risk and regulation. In this week's Weekend Listen, Odd Lots speaks to Andrew Granato and Pranjal Drall...

The path to the future of the Democratic Party — and to the White House in 2028 — may well run through Michigan. The state’s upcoming Democratic primary election is a highly anticipated showdown between a Democratic-Socialist-backed candidate and a centrist one, who are vying for both a crucial seat in the US Senate and a major say in the party’s priorities. On today’...