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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Where to Go If You Need a CEO Thursday, May 29, 2025

For decades, General Electric — the conglomerate known for making everything from trains to microwaves — was also known for churning out executives. Time spent at the company’s Crotonville campus was seen as the gold standard for leadership training in Corporate America. But as GE has lost its luster, a new CEO pipeline has emerged.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg work and management reporter Matt Boyle joins host David Gura to share what he’s discovered about where tomorrow's CEOs are learning to lead — and what it means for global business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Financial Stakes of Trump’s Attacks on Harvard Wednesday, May 28, 2025

The Trump administration has ramped up its attacks on Harvard University — threatening its tax-exempt status, federal funding and its ability to enroll international students. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Brooke Sutherland and Francesca Maglione join host David Gura to unpack the latest developments and how they could ripple beyond the bounds of Harvard’s campus. Read more: Here Are the Many Ways Trump Is Attacking HarvardSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The MAGA-ification of Mark Zuckerberg Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been going through a bit of a MAGA rebrand, complete with a new look — gold chains, grown-out hair, custom boxy, black T-shirts — and appearances on so-called manosphere podcasts hosted by MAGA-friendly comedians like Theo Von and Joe Rogan.Those changes have translated to his company, too. Since January, Meta has rolled back diversity efforts, weakened hate speech policies, disbanded its civil-rights team, eliminated its outside fact-checking system and added a prominent Trump ally to its board of directors. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Riley Griffin joins host Sarah Holder to discuss the political evolution of Mark Zuckerberg: What he hopes to gain from getting closer to Trump and what he has to show for it. Read more: Mark Zuckerberg Loves MAGA Now. Will MAGA Ever Love Him Back?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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They Bought Dream Homes in Tulum. Then Came the Nightmare Monday, May 26, 2025

Tulum, Mexico has exploded in popularity since the early years of the pandemic. The area’s few Covid restrictions, picturesque beaches and laidback vibes attracted lockdown-weary travelers and helped trigger a real estate boom. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Andrea Navarro and Tanaz Meghjani join host Sarah Holder to discuss the dark side of a pandemic-era development spree in Tulum that has left a trail of ripped off investors, millions of dollars in missing cash and even two bodies in its wake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Are Current Beauty Trends Recession Indicators? It’s Complicated. Friday, May 23, 2025

In 2001, it was lipstick. After the 2008 financial crisis, it was DIY haircuts. In times of economic turmoil, consumers tend to change the way they spend on makeup and beauty. So what is the beauty industry telling us now about the state of the US economy? On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Ben Steverman visits a beauty convention and talks to masseuses and hair stylists about the trends they’re seeing in their salons, and cosmetics reporter Jeannette Neumann crunches the numbers on how these consumer behaviors are hitting companies’ bottom lines. Read more: The Beauty Salon Recession Indicator Estée Lauder Forecasts Return to Sales Growth in 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Who Is the Mysterious Founder of China’s DeepSeek? Thursday, May 22, 2025

Despite the global hype around China’s DeepSeek, very little is known about the man behind it – Liang Wenfeng. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Saritha Rai about the tech founder who led DeepSeek to the frontline of AI advances and what the company’s rise tells us about the battle for AI dominance. Further listening: Why DeepSeek Sent Nvidia, Other Tech Stocks Tumbling Watch, from Originals: How China’s DeepSeek Came for Big AISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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At 83, Media Mogul Barry Diller Is Ready to Tell His Story Wednesday, May 21, 2025

After decades in the public eye, 83-year-old media mogul and Fox co-founder Barry Diller is finally ready to tell his story. On today’s Big Take podcast, Diller joins host David Gura to talk about his new memoir, Who Knew, his storied career as an entertainment executive and his decision to speak publicly about his sexuality for the first time. Plus, how he’s navigating President Trump’s shifting trade and regulatory policies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Bloomberg’s Elon Musk Interview Tuesday, May 20, 2025

On stage at the Qatar Economic Forum on Tuesday, editor at large for Bloomberg Weekend Mishal Husain conducted a nearly 40-minute, wide-ranging interview with billionaire Elon Musk. Husain asked Musk about his future at Tesla, his ongoing feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the possibility of Starlink going public and more. At times, the conversation grew heated, particularly when Mishal asked about reports of his communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Did Apple Sleep Through the AI Revolution? Sunday, May 18, 2025

Over the past year, Apple has pulled out all the stops to tout shiny new AI tools: from big presentations at its Worldwide Developers Conference to ads featuring The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey. Now, the company is facing questions about what it’s promised versus what it’s delivered. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman takes host Sarah Holder inside the company’s efforts to keep up on AI and what it needs to do next to stay in the game. Read more: Why Apple Still Hasn’t Cracked AISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What It Takes to Negotiate With China Friday, May 16, 2025

As of this week, the trade war between the US and China is on pause, with both sides hoping to agree on a new trade deal by early August. But questions remain about how realistic that timetable could be, given the challenges facing the world’s two largest economies, who both collaborate and compete with one another. On today’s Big Take podcast, Former US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns joins host David Gura to discuss the trade war, the challenges facing his successor and what he’s telling foreign policy students who are worried about the future of diplomacy. “We’ve gotta steel ourselves for the next decade or two to a historic competition with China. And China right now is stronger.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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President Trump’s Plans to Monetize the Middle East Thursday, May 15, 2025

President Trump is wrapping a whirlwind trip to the Middle East — complete with a flurry of proposed investment deals , controversial gifts and a major shift in US-Syria policy. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Joumanna Bercetche joins host David Gura to unpack the biggest headlines from the president’s tour of the Persian Gulf and discuss what they tell us about his larger plans for the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Small Towns Are Getting Hooked on ICE Detention Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking immigrants up. A lucrative ICE contract keeps a private detention facility open that local politicians say the area needs. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Rachel Adams-Heard and Fola Akinnibi examine how these private facilities are becoming key to the US government’s immigration crackdown – and the financial incentives making it harder for small communities to quit them. Read more: Addicted to ICESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How India and Pakistan Averted War Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Last week, India and Pakistan saw the worst fighting in half a century — and came close to an all-out war. But the conflict came to an uneasy and sudden halt after Donald Trump declared the two countries reached a ceasefire. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg’s Dan Strumpf about how the deadly clashes and ceasefire unfolded and the implications of US mediation in the decades-old conflict. Read more: Trump Truce Leaves India Furious, Pakistan Elated as Risks LoomFurther listening: The Rise of Modi, Part 1: Why India’s Leader Is So Popular – and Polarizing The Rise of Modi, Part 2: How India’s Leader Came Back From the BrinkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Is the US-China Trade War Over? Monday, May 12, 2025

In a stunning turn of events, the US and China announced a dramatic reduction in tariffs, which President Trump portrayed as a “total reset” with China. Stocks rose following the news, but what lies ahead once the 90-day reprieve expires remains uncertain. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Treasury reporter Dan Flatley joins host David Gura to discuss the major takeaways from these latest negotiations and what they could mean for the world’s two largest economies. Read more: ‘Buy America’ Sweeps Across Global Markets After Trade Talks China Tariff Relief Spurs Shipping Rush, U-Turn on Price Hikes Nasdaq 100 Enters Bull Market After US-China Truce: Markets Wrap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What's Behind the World's Matcha Shortage Friday, May 9, 2025

Japan has a matcha shortage despite record levels of production. Shops are selling out of the green tea powder as soon as they hit the shelves. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Mia Glass about the world’s obsession with matcha – and why producers can’t keep up with the rising demand. Read more: The Global Matcha Boom Is Driving a Shortage in JapanFurther listening: Japan’s Small Businesses Have a Problem. They Don’t Know How to Raise PricesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Big Tech Is on Trial. What That Means for the Future of the Internet Thursday, May 8, 2025

Google has lost two antitrust cases in the past year; Meta is currently in court over alleged anti-competitive behavior. Big Tech is in a moment of reckoning that could reshape the industry – and your internet use – for decades to come. Today on the Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier and Sara Forden join host Sarah Holder to unpack the trials seeking to rein in Silicon Valley. Will the antitrust cases against Google and Meta help innovation flourish, or kill America’s chances at AI dominance? Read more: Apple Eyes Move to AI Search, Ending Era Defined by GoogleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Telemarketers’ New Trick to Sell Bare-Bones Health Plans Wednesday, May 7, 2025

A few years ago, a former sitcom writer came up with a weird way to sell Americans cheap health plans, using a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. More than 100,000 households have signed up, but many say the coverage isn’t what they were promised. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Zach Mider shares what he learned while investigating the plans and what it could mean for the American health-care system if more people turn to them. Read more: A Former TV Writer Found a Health-Care Loophole That Threatens to Blow Up ObamacareSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How a CEO’s Faked Results Led to a $300 Million Wipeout Tuesday, May 6, 2025

In late 2018, five years after launching fish-feeding company eFishery, Gibran Huzaifah found himself all out of cash. To save his business, the CEO started plugging fake numbers into financial reports. The brighter picture drew hundreds of millions of investor dollars. But his house of cards was doomed to collapse. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's David Ramli about the fall of eFishery and what it says about the risks of venture capital investing. Read more: CEO Explains How He Faked Results in $300 Million MeltdownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Warren Buffett Passes the Baton Monday, May 5, 2025

Warren Buffett shocked shareholders when he announced he’d be stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The 94-year-old business giant had been running the behemoth company for more than 50 years, and his investment decisions have earned him the nickname the “Oracle of Omaha.” On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg senior markets editor and Opinion columnist John Authers unpacks how Warren Buffett changed investing, what it would take for successors to fill his shoes and whether Berkshire Hathaway is headed for a break-up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Your Morning Commute Could Get Way Worse Friday, May 2, 2025

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the US government stepped in with aid to keep mass transit agencies afloat. But that money is running out and ridership hasn’t rebounded.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sri Taylor and Aaron Gordon join host David Gura to discuss why advocates now fear many transit systems are on the verge of a so-called “death spiral” — a vicious cycle of less funding, low ridership and cuts to services that could impact everyone’s commute. Read more: A $6 Billion Shortfall Has US Mass Transit Facing a Death Spiral See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.