The Big View

The €40 bln Saint-Gobain counters geopolitical divisions by emphasising local management and production. In this episode of The Big View, CEO Benoît Bazin tells Peter Thal Larsen why the 361-year-old company can keep expanding, and which countries he is targeting next. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megap...

Technology true believers argue digital cash does not need an institutional backstop. In this episode of The Big View, Gaston Gelos of the Bank for International Settlements tells Peter Thal Larsen why stablecoins and other tokens still need central banks to work smoothly. Bank for International Settlements: Anchoring trust in money: innovation beyond stablecoins Bank of England: Sterling-denomina...

The SpaceX boss became the first trillionaire by defying business wisdom, upending financial standards and embracing far-right politics. On The Big View this week Peter Thal Larsen asks Quinn Slobodian, co-author of “Muskism”, whether Musk is a one-off or a model of the future. Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff: "Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed" The Big View: Separating science fiction from fact...

Ageing populations, indebted governments and geopolitical splits undermine price stability. That leaves independent central banks unanchored, say Charles Goodhart and Manoj Pradhan. On this episode of The Big View, the economists tell Peter Thal Larsen the status quo cannot last. Charles Goodhart and Manoj Pradhan: “The Unanchored Central Banker: Demography, Fiscal Instability, and an Erosion of t...

Diagnosing malaise is easy; coming up with solutions is harder. Mariana Mazzucato, the academic and author of ‘The Common Good Economy’, argues for a wider approach to economic purpose. In this episode of The Big View, she tells Peter Thal Larsen how the discipline can improve. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also vi...

Jeremy Grantham’s investment firm GMO made its name betting against the mania of the late 1990s and the mid-2000s housing boom. In this episode of The Big View, he tells Peter Thal Larsen how artificial intelligence has forced Big Tech firms into a fight to the death. Jeremy Grantham and Edward Chancellor: The Making of a Permabear: The Perils of Long-term Investing in a Short-term World Breakingv...

Breakneck growth for private equity and credit has led to worries of overheated dealmaking. In this episode of The Big View, Bain Capital Managing Partner David Gross tells Jonathan Guilford about what the industry did right and wrong, and where it might go next around the globe. The Exchange, January 2024: Bain is keeping the private in private equity Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement f...

Elon Musk’s rockets-to-AI venture is getting closer to a $1.8 trln IPO. In this episode of The Big View, astrophysicist Adam Becker, author of ‘More Everything Forever,’ tells Jeff Goldfarb about the folly of ascribing value to plans to put data centers in space or colonize Mars. Adam Becker: More Everything Forever Breakingviews: SpaceX’s $1.75 trln hope rests on Musk imagination Podcast: Dreamin...

In the developed world, many people are both better off and unsatisfied. On this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen talks to Ryan Avent, author of ‘In Good Faith’, about the eroding beliefs underpinning growth, and whether AI will force us to confront what progress means. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also...

The US inherited rather than invented its currency, argues Brendan Greeley, author of ‘The Almighty Dollar’. In this episode of The Big View he tells Peter Thal Larsen about the greenback’s origins and why its global appeal might survive American fiscal and military recklessness. “The Almighty Dollar: 500 Years of the World’s Most Powerful Money”, by Brendan Greeley The Big View: Global currencies...

Great power rivalry and upstart technology are testing financial infrastructure. In this episode of The Big View, Stephan Leithner, CEO of Deutsche Boerse, tells Peter Thal Larsen how the $58 bln exchange group is coping with volatility, and how the EU can become more autonomous. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also...

Donald Trump’s war with Iran has exposed how much countries depend on oil and gas imports. In this episode of The Big View, Helen Thompson of Cambridge University tells Peter Thal Larsen how energy rivalry is shaping US foreign policy – and why the fault line runs through Europe. Helen Thompson: “Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century” The Big View: How the Strait of Hormuz changes economic warf...

By strangling the waterway, Iran retaliated against the US and eased some financial sanctions. In this episode of The Big View Edward Fishman, senior fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, tells Peter Thal Larsen how American economic weapons have been turned against it. The Big View, March 2025: Why financial warfare could backfire on the US Edward Fishman: Iran is Using America’s Playbook A...

Online extortion has exploded into a multibillion-dollar global industry. On this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen talks to Anja Shortland of King’s College London about its rapid growth, fresh threats from AI, and the blurry line between cyber crime and cyber warfare. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also v...

The ChatGPT creator has 900 mln users and an $840 bln valuation, yet its financial future is unsure. On this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen and tech analyst Benedict Evans discuss why scale does not guarantee profit, and how previous breakthroughs captured value. How will OpenAI compete? OpenAI announcement Breakingviews: What happens if OpenAI or Anthropic fail? Visit the Thomson Reut...

The Roman denarius and Florentine florin rose and fell with economic and military power. Will the US dollar face the same fate? In this episode of The Big View, Berkeley economist Barry Eichengreen tells Peter Thal Larsen why history suggests the greenback’s prospects are weak. Money Beyond Borders: Global Currencies from Croesus to Crypto The Big View: What could knock King Dollar off its throne...

The year since the US president’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff war has produced many surprises. In this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen and IMD Business School’s Simon Evenett discuss why dire forecasts fizzled, how China levies fell to 26%, and why a larger jolt looms. The Supreme Court Rules, Uncertainty by Design Remains – Global Trade Alert Trade Redirection of Chinese Exports During 202...

It’s easy to be glum about a continent grappling with US tariffs, cuts to aid, and climate change. Yet Joe Studwell, author of ‘How Africa Works’, says the conditions for development are in place. In this episode of The Big View, he tells Peter Thal Larsen why he’s optimistic. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also vis...

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s new government can curb excess competition and speed industrial consolidation. On this episode of The Big View, Monex’s Jesper Koll tells Una Galani that borrowing will not rise, while higher interest rates will reshape equity markets. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megapho...

Big Tech is splurging around $700 bln on artificial intelligence investments this year, while others are braced for disruption. In this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen talks to Andrew Sheets, Morgan Stanley’s head of fixed income research, about what happens next. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit...

Decades of economic cooperation are under threat from political division and military rivalry. In this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen talks to Eswar Prasad, author of ‘The Doom Loop’, about why integration went into reverse and whether the old system can be salvaged.  The Doom Loop: Why the World Economic Order is Spiraling into Disorder  Davos 2026: Special address by Mark Carney, Pri...

The People’s Republic dominates the supply of materials used in magnets, lasers and other high-tech products. In this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen talks to Mel Sanderson, a director of American Rare Earths, about how other governments can kick-start production. IEA Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2025 Every mineral is critical in the new metals age Trump admin to take 10% stake in U...

It’s almost 10 months since Donald Trump launched his trade war. In this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen talks to Mike Musheinesh, CEO of Detroit Axle, about how the auto parts distributor is coping with import uncertainty – and his decision to sue the US government. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also vi...

The US has long been interested in the South American country’s resources. Abducting its president opens a new and turbulent chapter. In this episode of The Big View Peter Thal Larsen talks to Ed Crooks, vice chair of energy research firm Wood Mackenzie, about what happens next. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also v...

Stocks, bonds and commodities absorbed many shocks in 2025. Will they show the same resilience in the year ahead? In this episode of The Big View, Peter Thal Larsen and Anna Szymanski, editor-in-charge of Reuters Open Interest, debate inflation, AI, and the buy-the-dip mindset. ROI: Reuters Open Interest. Morning Bid podcast Andy Home: Every mineral is critical in the new metals age. Ron Bousso: O...