Big Take

OpenAI and AMD. OpenAI and Nvidia. Oracle and OpenAI. Nvidia and Oracle. There is so much AI-on-AI dealmaking happening in the industry right now, it can be hard to keep track of who has a deal with who — and increasingly, it seems everyone has a deal with everyone else. Today on the Big Take, host Sarah Holder speaks with technology reporter Emily Forgash about the AI giants making circular deals — and why some analysts and experts are concerned about the trend. Read more: OpenAI, Nvidia Fuel $1 Trillion AI Market With Web of Circular Deals See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time in history, Japan’s ruling party has elected a woman as its leader. Sanae Takaichi, 64, is an unconventional figure — and now she’s on track to become Japan’s first female prime minister. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg’s Paul Jackson about Takaichi’s path to power, why her politics aren’t resonating with some Japanese women and what her leadership could mean for Japan’s economy and its relationship with the United States. Read more: Japan Braces for Shift to Right Under ‘Iron Lady’ Fan Takaichi - Bloomberg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They’re called “zombie” mortgages: old second loans from the subprime era that many homeowners had good reason to believe were canceled or forgotten. Now, years later, debt collectors are coming after the money. And they’re ready to foreclose if people can’t pay. It sounds like a horror story, but a new Bloomberg investigation has found that it’s a terrifying reality — and hundreds of thousands of homeowners could be at risk. On today’s Big Take podcast host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg data journalist Noah Buhayar look at what a trove of records from one debt collection company tells us about how the industry operates as a whole and why cashing in on dormant mortgages has become big business. Read more: How Debt Collectors Spin Riches from Zombie Loans See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the Big Take, we hear from our colleagues over at Everybody's Business, Stacey Vanek Smith and Max Chafkin. This week’s topics include a possible return of DOGE-like cuts due to the shutdown, the wild ride of crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun and a very surprising economic indicator. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A growing number of colleges and universities across the US are trying to address dwindling student enrollment and tight finances by opening their doors to an unusual source of revenue: contracts with retirement communities, on or near campus. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Elizabeth Rembert heads back to school to learn what happens when baby boomers and Gen Z students share quads and classrooms: from intergenerational friendships to growing pains. Read more: Baby Boomers Now Live Next to 18-Year-Olds at Colleges Across US See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rent is too high…even for high-earning New Yorkers. In the wake of unprecedented rent hikes, residents across America's largest city are finding that not even a six-figure salary can protect them from the squeeze. On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg Real Estate Reporter Paulina Cachero and Fiscal Policy Institute Chief Economist Emily Eisner about New York City’s stressed rental market, the domino effect it has on everyone and the proposals on the table to fix it. Read more: Even New York City’s Wealth Renters Can’t Avoid the Housing Crisis Listen more: Odd Lots - Zohran Mamdani, the Socialist Who Could Be NYC's New Mayor See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US government shutdown will have serious implications for the collection and distribution of federal economic data used to gauge the health of the US economy — including the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly jobs reports and Consumer Price Index. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg White House reporter Gregory Korte and economics editor Molly Smith join host David Gura to talk about what the government shutdown means for economic data and how it could impact policymakers, investors and everyday Americans. Read more: How the US Government Shutdown Will Affect Key AgenciesRepublicans Weigh Big Cuts as Senators Grasp for Shutdown DealUS Firms Shed 32,000 Jobs in ADP Report After Data AdjustmentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI needs a lot of energy — and a new Bloomberg investigation has found that those soaring costs are being passed on to consumers who live near data centers. On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura talks to Bloomberg reporters Josh Saul and Leonardo Nicoletti about the AI boom’s impact on power bills, how utility companies are handling surging demand and the implications for communities with centers in their backyards. Read more: AI Data Centers Are Sending Power Bills Soaring See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US government is facing its first potential shutdown in nearly seven years, and the clock is ticking. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Congress editor Megan Scully and host David Gura break down the political incentives for President Trump, the Republican Party and for Democrats — and discuss what’s at stake for the economy if a shutdown comes to pass. Read more: US Economy Will Only Get Murkier If Key Data Is Delayed in Shutdown See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Kindbody employee discovers the company is helping an imprisoned billionaire father multiple children through surrogates and egg donors. In this episode, reporter Jackie Davalos investigates Greg Lindberg's "baby project" and what it illustrates about America's unregulated fertility industry. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kindbody implements quotas requiring doctors to perform more lucrative procedures, internal company documents show. In Episode 4 of IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, patients report being pushed toward expensive IVF cycles and questionable add-ons. Bloomberg’s Jackie Davalos investigates how financial pressure drove medical decisions at the struggling fertility chain—including one woman's painful and seemingly unnecessary procedure that would leave her questioning everything. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent surprised markets when they signaled broad economic support — including a potential $20 billion swap line — for Argentinian President Javier Milei amid deep financial and political uncertainty in South America’s second-largest economy. So, what’s behind this gesture and how would it work? On today’s episode, Bloomberg’s Patrick Gillespie joins Big Take host David Gura from Buenos Aires to unpack what US support could mean for Milei as he faces a referendum on his economic agenda. Read more: US Readies $20 Billion Rescue to Help Milei Win In Argentina See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States is responsible for about 20% of the UN’s annual budget. But it hasn’t paid its dues in months. And the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the international body is now facing hard choices. On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with Guterres and Bloomberg’s Magdalena Del Valle to discuss whether the institution can survive funding cuts and prove its relevancy in a time of rising global tensions. Without the full backing of the US, how much can the UN do to promote peace and security around the world — and what will that mean for the people they support? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After months of negotiation, the US and China have reached a tentative agreement to secure TikTok’s future in the US. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove and Mark Anderson to unpack TikTok’s “America-First” era. They discuss what you need to know about potential changes to the platform, how a US-controlled board could impact the app’s future and what the deal tells us about China-US negotiations moving forward. Read more: TikTok’s Algorithm to Be Secured by Oracle Under Trump Deal What We Do and Don’t Know About US TikTok Deal With China Further listening: Americans Flocked to RedNote as the TikTok Ban Loomed. Will the Party Last? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fewer deals. Long wait times for returns on investments. Struggles with fundraising. Even with an interest rate cut, private equity, which thrives on flipping and selling companies for a profit, is in a slump. What would it take for the industry to bounce back? On today’s Big Take podcast, private equity reporter Allison McNeely on what’s contributing to an existential slowdown that has private equity firms scrambling to find a path forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kindbody doubles its size overnight through a major acquisition, with executives telling employees they'll be rich enough to buy private jets. In Episode 3 of IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, Bloomberg reporter Jackie Davalos reports on internal documents revealing that the company is hemorrhaging cash. As layoffs reduce the number of patient-facing employees, one clinic's staffing crunch sets the stage for an error that led one woman to give up on her dream of motherhood. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dina and B arrive at Kindbody for the embryo transfer they've dreamed about for years. But their doctor delivers news that will make them question whether coming to Kindbody was a mistake. In Episode 2 of IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, Bloomberg reporter Jackie Davalos investigates what went wrong and discovers that this error wasn't an isolated incident. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018 a startup emerged, aiming to revolutionize fertility care with spa-like clinics and Silicon Valley swagger. Kindbody attracted millions from investors eager to disrupt a booming industry. But former employees describe a company that at times cut too many corners as it raced to expand. In Episode 1 of IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, reporter Jackie Davalos investigates what can happen when startup culture collides with the delicate science of creating life. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When he announced the Fed’s decision to lower interest rates by 25 basis points, Fed Chair Jerome Powell made clear there’s still a bumpy road ahead for the US economy. Inflation is elevated and the labor market is showing signs of weakness. No wonder investors remain on edge. All this market uncertainty has helped fuel the rise of a particular type of investment offering: structured products. They’re supposed to lower investors’ downside risks. But they’re not risk-free. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg equities reporter Yiqin Shen and markets editor Sam Potter break down how these complex investment vehicles work — and what their resurgence reveals about the US economy. Read more: Rich Americans Are Driving a $200 Billion Boom in Complex Bets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kindbody, one of the largest fertility companies in the US, sought to disrupt egg freezing and IVF by combining spa vibes with Silicon Valley efficiency. The startup raised millions, opened dozens of clinics, and became a billion-dollar unicorn. But its ambition came with consequences. In IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, reporter Jackie Davalos takes listeners beyond Kindbody’s millennial-friendly waiting rooms and into the clinics themselves, showing the sometimes-heartbreaking consequences of bringing the “move fast and break things” mentality to the business of creating life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.