Here's Why

US President Donald Trump began his second term in office by promising to be a peacemaker and keep the United States out of foreign conflicts. Since then, he has ramped up threats of military intervention abroad, from the Middle East to Venezuela. Our head of economics and government coverage across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, Flavia Krause-Jackson, joins Stephen Carroll to...

The Trump administration demolished the East Wing of the White House in order to make space for a new 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The demolition surprised historians and architects who didn't realize the most prominent civic building in the US could be altered so dramatically without public discussion. Kriston Capps from Bloomberg CityLab joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio...

The European Union has agreed plans to ban all gas supplies from Russia by the end of 2027. Weaning European countries off Russian supplies has been a complex, and sometimes painfully slow, process. Our EU energy reporter John Ainger joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's top policymakers are finalizing their next five-year plan for the country, for the period from 2026-2030. It's a blueprint for economic and social development at a time when Beijing is facing a myriad of challenges at home and abroad. Jenni Marsh, who leads Bloomberg's team covering China's economics and government, joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

Some of the world's wealthiest countries are struggling with debts higher than their own GDP, and it's upending their politics. Governments in France, the UK, the US and elsewhere are having to balance rising interest payments with demands for more investment, welfare or security. Bloomberg's Head of Economics and Government Stephanie Flanders joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio....

It's been a great six months for US stock markets, despite turbulence from tariffs and geopolitical tensions. Economic data continues to surprise to the upside. The Federal Reserve has extended a fresh lifeline to Wall Street. But beneath that surface, there are some signs of a shift in investor sentiment. Our Markets Live Managing Editor Kristine Aquino joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See...

A small toy monster with a toothy grin, known as a Labubu doll, has taken the world by storm, adorning the bags of millions of consumers — including popstar Rihanna and tennis champion Naomi Osaka. Some editions fetch thousands of dollars on resale, and Pop Mart, the Chinese maker of the toys, saw revenue jump over 200% in the first half of the year. But our Asia Global Busine...

Recent incursions by Russian drones into NATO airspace had caused alarm across Europe, and triggered a military response from Poland. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised a 'drone wall' along its eastern border - but what would it take to build more effective defenses? Our Global Defense Editor Gerry Doyle joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

President Trump has never failed to hide his dislike for wind farms. He says they massacre birds, cause cancer, and drive whales crazy. But now his attack on renewable power is reshaping the US energy landscape, jeopardizing thousands of jobs, and billions in investment. His administration is stopping wind farms and solar projects, revoking permits, and making every effort to reverse President Bid...

Donald Trump has never hidden his frustration with the Federal Reserve — and now, back in the White House, his attacks have only intensified. From insults directed at Chair Jerome Powell to threats against Fed Governor Lisa Cook, the president is waging an extraordinary campaign to push the central bank into cutting interest rates. It’s a striking challenge to central bank independence...

The loophole that has allowed packages worth less than $800 to enter the United States tariff-free has ended after nearly 90 years. It's a major change for small businesses, shippers and consumers, and several European postal services have suspended deliveries of parcels to the US as a result. Our Trade Tsar Brendan Murray joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss the ramifications. See omnystudio.com...

China’s property market has been in a downward spiral for five years, with little sign of the crisis abating. Even after the collapse of real estate giant Evergrande, values are continuing to plummet. Households in financial distress are being forced to sell properties, and apartment developers that racked up enormous debt on speculative projects are on the brink of collapse. Lulu Chen, who...

A growing body of research is pointing to the drastic changes artificial intelligence will bring to the workforce, with predictions of millions of jobs being created and lost. According to analysis of recent US labor market data, AI does not appear to be causing a slowdown in hiring. Many companies are racing to implement the new tech into their businesses, but are they employing fewer people as a...

The world's biggest technology companies have reported another period of strong earnings, adding to the recent rally in their share prices. Microsoft became only the second company to reach a $4 trillion valuation. Some market watchers are concerned that the valuations of the so-called Magnificent Seven companies are looking stretched. Gina Martin Adams, Chief Equity Strategist at Bloomberg Intell...

US President Donald Trump’s tariff strategy is reshaping trade, diplomacy, and the American economy. The levies have sparked turmoil in financial markets, but are already bringing in billions of dollars in revenue for the US Treasury. So far, the global economy has held up better than many economists expected, but how long will that last? Bloomberg’s Trade Tsar Brendan Murray joins hos...

Just days from US President Donald Trump's next tariff deadline, stock markets have hit record highs. Market volatility - as measured by the VIX Index - is at its lowest level in months. Are investors feeling zen, or do we need to rethink how we measure fear in the markets? Our markets reporter Valerie Tytel joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

US President Donald Trump is stepping up pressure on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, with a White House official saying he discussed firing the central bank chief in a meeting with congressional Republicans on Tuesday night. Speaking on Wednesday, Trump said he’s “not planning” to remove the Fed chief, but he has repeatedly criticised Powell’s actions on interest...

A surge in visitor numbers to top European destinations has sparked protests from residents, many of whom feel they've reached a tipping point into overtourism. How can towns and cities strike a balance between the economic benefits of tourism, and the drawbacks? Feargus O'Sullivan from Bloomberg CityLab joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the US President's July 9 tariff pause deadline approaches, more countries are announcing agreements with the United States to avoid higher levies. But the content of the accords are very different from traditional trade deals. Our EMEA News Director Rosalind Mathieson joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran’s highly enriched uranium was last seen by UN nuclear monitors a few days before the start of Israel’s bombing campaign on June 13. Its whereabouts are unknown for now, a major cause of concern for experts at the International Atomic Energy Agency. How dangerous is this uranium, and how does nuclear diplomacy proceed from here? Our reporter Jonathan Tirone joins host Stephen Carro...

China has condemned Israel's attack on Iran, while offering to play a positive role in facilitating dialogue between the two countries. China's economic ties to the region add to its geopolitical heft - and it's the latest example of Beijing’s growing role as a global power-broker and diplomatic force. Bloomberg News's Senior Executive Editor for the Greater China Region joins host Stephen C...

Is US exceptionalism over? Tech stocks were in, then out, then in again. Have rumours of the dollar's demise as a safe haven been greatly exaggerated? 2025's market turmoil has forced investors to rethink strategies which have long yielded results, but are these shifts lasting? Our Markets Live Managing Editor Kristine Aquino joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Technology has helped to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts for decades. Artificial intelligence-driven models are becoming more common, allowing forecasting using far less computation power than previous methods. But how accurate are AI's forecasts, and how is the industry adapting? Our weather reporter Mary Hui joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

It's been a year since we launched Here's Why. In that time we've brought you stories from the around the world about the global economy and how it's changing. To mark the occasion, we wanted to look back at one of our favourite episodes. CPI, PCE, GDP, PMIs and JOLTS are all data points closely monitored by markets. They help us understand where the economy is, can give us hints on where it's goi...

Hundreds of thousands of people around the world are now on weight loss drugs like Wegovy, known as GLP-1s. The food industry is taking notice too, with big companies leaning into more nutritional products to complement the effects of the drug. Deirdre Hipwell, who leads Bloomberg's team covering healthcare and consumer companies in Europe, joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/list...