Trumponomics

The U.S. unemployment rate may be at the lowest level since 2000, but some economists want the federal government to go further and guarantee a job for every American. Several potential Democratic presidential candidates support the idea, but the plan faces plenty of hurdles, from how to pay for it to how it would actually get up and running. Economics professor L. Randall Wray, one of the plan's...

From self-driving cars to robot-powered factories, artificial intelligence is taking over significant pieces of the global economy. But while this is good news for the businesses incorporating robots into their workplaces, it also means more and more people will lose their jobs to computers. Joshua Gans, co-author of the recent book "Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intellig...

For years, oil was the major determinant of which countries rose to -- and lost -- power in the global economy. Today, that commodity increasingly is water. This week on Benchmark, we hear about the water crisis in Cape Town, where authorities are warning they may need to turn off the taps, from local Bloomberg editor Robert Brand. Then, we take a journey through global water issues with Helen Mou...

It's been a wild ride for investors in the U.S. stock market these past couple months. Yet for all the chaos on Wall Street, Main Street seems to be doing fine. So are equities signaling trouble for the economy, or will this storm blow over? Jim Paulsen, a veteran market strategist with a doctorate in economics, gives his take to Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News and Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View. Se...

What if it's not the economy, stupid? The Great Recession and the long, moderate expansion that's followed gets blamed for a lot of political upheaval. But, William Galston of the Brookings Institution says that's a misreading. The former adviser to President Bill Clinton tells Bloomberg News' Jeanna Smialek and Bloomberg View's Daniel Moss that the populist wave moving across the world is also bo...

You've heard about Xi Jinping now becoming China's leader for life. But did you know about his new economic team? They are the ones who could help direct -- or deflect -- a possible trade war between the U.S. and China. China economy expert Nicholas Lardy gives the lowdown on these men to Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News and Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

It may be hard to remember, but not too long ago, hailing a taxi in many cities was often a hassle. Ever since companies like Uber and Lyft entered the world, it's become a lot easier for consumers to catch a ride -- and a lot tougher for drivers to make a living. Henry Farber, a Princeton University economist, joins Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News and Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View to explain the d...

Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum don't add up to a trade war. It's more like a frontier skirmish. But, what would a real conflict look like? Who would win and who would lose? Shannon O'Neil of the Council on Foreign Relations joins Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News and Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View to explore these questions, and what tariffs might mean for you. See omnystudio.com/listene...

The North American Free Trade Agreement has been labeled everything from an unfair deal for U.S. workers to a boon for commerce across the continent. Less well known is that it's helped cause a big expansion in Mexican waistlines. Simon Barquera, executive director of the Nutrition and Health Research Center at Mexico's National Institute of Public Health, explains the nation's rise in obesity to...

The Maldives, known as an exotic and luxurious tropical vacation spot, is fast becoming one of the world's most important geopolitical footballs. China is investing heavily in the island chain in a bid for economic and strategic supremacy, stoking the ire of India -- just miles away. Eurasia Group's Shailesh Kumar explains to Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News and Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View how thi...

Decrypted returns on March 6th with a brand new season. Here's a sneak peek of what's in store. We'll be releasing new episodes every Tuesday starting next week.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a crisis in coffee. On Java, the Indonesian island that gives your morning shot its nickname, the bean is struggling. A booming Asian middle class is spurring demand just as climate change is eroding farmland and changing the taste along the way. Indonesia is now being forced to import coffee from Brazil and Vietnam just to keep up. It's a bit like Saudi Arabia importing oil. Jamal Gawi, a...

Almost one-tenth of Denmark's labor force is made up of foreign workers. But with quality of life standards increasing in eastern European countries, many of these people are considering returning to their native nations. Karen Haekkerup, CEO of the Danish Agriculture and Food Council, talks with Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News and Daniel Moss of Bloomberg View on what this means for Denmark, which...

This month, Bloomberg is excited to bring you a brand new show. Every Friday on What'd You Miss This Week, we'll feature the most interesting interviews from Bloomberg's daily market close show, "What'd You Miss" hosted by Scarlet Fu, Julia Chatterley and Joe Weisenthal. We want to take you beyond the headlines and bring you a unique perspective on the week's top stories, and those you may just ha...

Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway recently announced they're joining forces to tackle America's expensive health care system. Health care is probably the most reliably growing piece of U.S. GDP -- and until recently, a strong driver of inflation -- but that could change as Amazon moves into that space. Scott Lanman of Bloomberg News speaks with Bloomberg reporter Spencer Soper and econ...

You may have heard of a gender-pay gap in America, but here's a statistic that's really eye-opening: Workers at men's apparel stores earn 56 percent more than employees at womenswear retailers. It's a huge gap, and yet it can be explained in part by supply and demand -- and could even be a sign that worker pay will finally pick up more broadly across the U.S. Bloomberg reporters Katia Dmitrieva an...

What happens to someone's land when the owner dies? In Japan, no one knows. In fact, no one knows who owns more than 10 percent of the nation's landmass -- about 16,000 square miles, equivalent to the size of Denmark. Without knowing who owns the land, it can't be sold or redeveloped -- and that limits economic growth or prevents the government from collecting taxes, at a time when Japan is alread...

An online discussion board where women are frequent subjects of vitriolic attacks. A lack of diversity in top positions. Strong evidence of discrimination against females. These are all issues that the economics profession is grappling with as part of a broader reckoning with sexual harassment and misconduct in American society. Economist Heidi Hartmann discusses these issues and her petition driv...

The American South will keep rising and Dallas will eclipse New York. The city that never sleeps has had its obituary written plenty of times, but it may just have met its match in native son Donald Trump. His tax-cut law is more than just a deficit-busting giveaway to the rich; it affirms the economic and political rise of the South. Even New York's famed cultural and intellectual scene is in jeo...

Whether the U.S. tips into recession this year or not, chances are you won't hear about it until well after it happens. That's because the decision on whether the economy is in a serious slump or merely having a bad day rests with a little-known group of academics who deliberate behind the scenes. Ten years after the economy entered the worst downturn since the Great Depression, the group's chair,...

What will be the most surprising economic development of 2018? Who will be the most influential people that you haven't heard of? What kind of non-economic developments will have biggest impact? Benchmark delivers answers from around the world in part two of our year-end special. Joining Dan and Scott to give their picks are three members of Bloomberg's global economy team: European editor Jana Ra...

What was the year's most surprising economic development? Who were the most influential people that you haven't heard of? What were the non-economic developments that had the biggest impact? Benchmark goes around the world to deliver the answers in part one of our year-end special. Joining Dan and Scott to give their picks are three members of Bloomberg's global economy team: European editor Jana...

America's GDP is growing at an amazing 3 percent! Unemployment is at the lowest level in 16 years! The stock market is reaching a new record high every day! The U.S. economy is just going to keep on booming, right? Well, not so fast. The stock market might be surging, but the bond market is painting a more nuanced picture. David Ader, chief macro strategist at Informa Financial Intelligence, joins...

Wait! There wasn't a trade war this year. Wasn't Donald Trump's election supposed to mean a rejection of open commerce between nations? Bloomberg's Andrew Mayeda explains the surprise increase in goods and services exchanged across national boundaries. Don't think the protectionist bullet's necessarily been dodged; there's more going on than just Trump. Arancha Gonzalez, executive director of the...

For many women and an increasing number of men, it's been hard to get a job again if you take some time off for family reasons and have a long gap on your resume. But that's starting to change in the U.S., where the unemployment rate is at the lowest in almost 17 years. With the labor market getting tighter, companies are looking at potential workers they previously might not have considered. Caro...