Big Take

Chasing the Ancient Stolen Statues of Cambodia 21.07.2026 20min

When a 1,000-year-old Cambodian statue came up for auction at Sotheby’s in New York, it sparked off an investigation that uncovered one of the world’s most extensive art trafficking networks. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Matthew Campbell and American lawyer Bradley Gordon on how Cambodia’s looted treasures ended up scattered around the world and what it takes to bring them home. Read more: Chasing the Man Who Stole the Gods Watch, from Originals: Cambodia to Museums: We Want Our Statues Back We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng; Reported by Matthew Campbell; Edited by Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey and Yang Yang; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa and Emma Munger. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer. Photo by Agnes Dherbeys/The New York Times/ReduxSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Polymarket and Kalshi Grapple With A New Class of Insider Trader 20.07.2026 20min

From celebrity wedding details to the timing of military strikes, prediction markets have opened the door to gambling on almost anything. They’ve also created a new class of insider trader that platforms and US regulators are racing to stop. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Denitsa Tsekova and Leonardo Nicoletti join host Sarah Holder to break down a $200 million surge in unusual bets on Polymarket — and explore what it will take for regulators to rein them in. Read more: Prediction Markets Are Minting a New Type of Insider Trader We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky and Victor Swezey; Reported by Denitsa Tsekova and Leonardo Nicoletti; Edited by Aaron Edwards and Julia Weaver. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey, Laura Newcombe and David Fox; Engineering by Emma Munger. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Listen: Tucker Carlson on How Trump Failed America 19.07.2026 52min

Tucker Carlson was one of Donald Trump’s most prominent allies when he campaigned for re-election and through his first year back in the White House. The US-Israel war with Iran, however, marked a decisive split between the two men. Carlson, a right-wing media personality, now argues that Trump has abandoned his “America First” agenda and allowed Israel to drive US foreign policy.In this conversation, Carlson tells Mishal Husain about how he advised against starting the war with Iran. He also talks about his faith in Vice President JD Vance and his belief that feminism has exploited women in the workplace. Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Great American Fun Shortage 17.07.2026 14min

There’s a historic mismatch between fun-supply and fun-demand in the US this summer. Americans are clamoring for places to relax and socialize. But the purveyors and conduits of fun — like airlines, theme parks, resorts, concert venues, camps and more — are all grappling with the same inflationary pressures as the rest of us — making fun more expensive and harder to access.  On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg's Ben Steverman about why a fun shortage is a serious problem for society — and what can be done about it.  Read more: The Fun Shortage Is Real, and It’s Making America Miserable We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Laura Newcombe; Reported by Ben Steverman; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Sean Carter. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inflation Is Cooling. Why Are Americans Still Sweating? 16.07.2026 19min

A slate of new data this week painted a tepid but slightly optimistic picture of the US economy: Consumer prices declined in June for the first time in six years, jobless claims ticked down and retail sales rose modestly. So why doesn’t the data match up with how Americans are feeling? On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg’s Reade Pickert and labor economist Kathryn Anne Edwards about what the data does (and doesn’t) tell us about the state of the US economy. Read more: How’s Inflation? Depends How It’s Measured We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Reade Pickert; Edited by Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey, Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Sean Carter. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All the President's Profits 15.07.2026 19min

President Donald Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure showed earnings unlike anything Americans have seen from a sitting US president: $1.4 billion in cryptocurrency, 21,000 securities trades and millions from his resorts and golf clubs. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg campaign finance reporter Bill Allison joins host Sarah Holder to look at the ethical concerns the disclosure raises and what — if any — political fallout could follow. Read more:  Trump Reports at Least $1.4 Billion in 2025 Crypto Earnings  Trump Reports Receiving About $120,000 in Sports Events Tickets Trump Financial Disclosure Shows 21,000 Trades in 2025 We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Bill Allison; Fact-checking by Victor Swezey; Engineering by Alex Sugiura; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xi Jinping Loves Soccer. Why Is China’s Team So Bad? 14.07.2026 19min

China’s men’s soccer team has qualified for the World Cup just once, despite millions in investment and a personal push from President Xi Jinping to turn the nation into a footballing powerhouse. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host Oanh Ha speaks with Eric Zhu of Bloomberg Economics and Mark Dreyer, sports writer and author of Sporting Superpower, about why the country’s top-down engineering approach fails to capture the grassroots magic of the game and how academic pressure continues to push many young players off the field. We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang and Naomi Ng; Edited by Patrick Hirsch, Julia Weaver; Fact-checking by Julia Press; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A New Middle East Is Emerging From the Iran War 13.07.2026 14min

The last few days have brought a flurry of developments in the Iran war. As armed hostilities between the US and Iran resumed over the weekend, news broke that US Senator Lindsey Graham had died. Graham was a staunch supporter of Israel and of the war in Iran. And on Monday, President Trump declared US control over the Strait of Hormuz and demanded a 20% reimbursement rate for all cargo that moves through the waterway. It’s not clear when the war with Iran will end. But when it does, the balance of power in the Middle East will look very different than it did before Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Peter Martin joins host David Gura to discuss the new alliances, revised trade routes and expanded battlefields that are reshaping the Middle East. We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Laura Newcombe; Reported by Peter Martin; Edited by Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey; Engineering by Alex Suguira. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Listen: Is the world prepared for a 'super' El Niño? 12.07.2026 33min

The great famine of the 1870s killed 50 million people – and El Niño was a key driver. Another El Niño phase has just begun and it’s expected to be among the strongest. There are five times as many people in 2026 as there were in the 1870s and the planet is 1.4C hotter. So are we better prepared? In this weekend's listen, Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi speaks with Mingfang Ting, professor of climate at Columbia University, about the natural phenomenon and its interaction with human-caused climate change. Read more: Bloomberg Green's deep dive on extreme heat Thoughts or suggestions? Email zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grueling Economics of Tennis 10.07.2026 15min

Some of the world’s top tennis players will face off at the Wimbledon finals this weekend. The players who make it to Centre Court have already achieved a bigger feat: a career as a tennis player. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Hannah Miller and The Athletic’s Matt Futterman break down what sets tennis apart from other sports and the challenges the tournaments and players face to stay profitable. Further Listening : Rafael Nadal's Retirement Is So Great He Doesn't Miss Tennis Read more:  Grand Slam prize money is enormous. The economics of tennis tournaments is complicated Wimbledon Investors Cash In With VIP Seats Costing Over $500,000 Matt Futterman’s book, The Cruelest Game, is available for pre-order We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Matt Futterman, Hannah Miller; Edited by Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Laura Newcombe; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump is Protesting His Own Party 09.07.2026 18min

Maine Democrat Graham Platner’s withdrawal from his US Senate race is ratcheting up an already intense run-up to the US midterm elections. And yet, across the political spectrum, lawmakers in Washington agree that they need to deliver — quickly — on promises of affordability. With broad bipartisan support, they passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, billed as allowing more Americans to achieve the dream of home ownership. But the bill’s fate has been thrown into doubt by President Trump, who surprised lawmakers by declining to sign it. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg housing policy reporter Katy O’Donnell and Megan Scully, who leads Bloomberg’s Congressional coverage, join Sarah Holder to discuss what’s in the housing bill, how Trump could still steer its fate and what his intervention could mean for Republicans in the midterms. Read more:  Would Congress’ New Housing Bill Lower Home Prices? Trump, GOP Clash After President Scraps Housing Bill Signing We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Katy O’Donnell and Megan Scully; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott. Fact-checking by David Fox and Victor Swezy; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Trump Is Bursting the $100 Billion Grad School Bubble 08.07.2026 18min

For two decades, American universities have doubled down on master’s programs, relying on graduate degrees as their financial backbones. Now, the Trump administration’s policies are posing existential threats to that business model. On today’s Big Take podcast, education reporter Liam Knox joins host Sarah Holder to break down the administration’s three-pronged attack on graduate school and the impact it could have on students, universities and America’s place on the global stage. We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Liam Knox; Edited by Tracey Samuelson. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why China Is Flashing Its Military Muscle 07.07.2026 18min

China rattled neighbors from Japan to Australia on Monday by test-launching a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine in the Pacific Ocean. While such launches are rare, the latest test reflects Beijing’s increasing openness about its growing military strength. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, Rebecca Choong Wilkins, who covers Asian government and politics, joins host K. Oanh Ha to discuss the surprise launch, China’s expanding arsenal and what they reveal about Beijing’s military aspirations for 2027 and beyond. Read more:  China’s ICBM Tests Point to New Normal Rattling the Pacific China Holds Rare Test of Sub-Launched Missile in Pacific Ocean China’s Secretive Missile Program Is Making Dozens of Companies Rich We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Rebecca Choong Wilkins; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott, John Liu and Julia Weaver; Fact-checking by Julia Press, David Fox and Yang Yang; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa and Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private Credit’s New Obsession: Buy Now, Pay Later 06.07.2026 20min

Two opaque corners of finance have joined forces: shadow banking and phantom debt. Put another way, private credit firms are backing Buy-Now-Pay-Later companies to finance their expansion into the US consumer market. On today’s Big Take podcast, guest host Stacey Vanek Smith joins Bloomberg reporters J.J. McCorvey and René Ismail to discuss what private credit’s involvement in BNPL means for everyday borrowers, why it’s raising concerns and whether the risks hiding in these spaces could spill over into the rest of the economy.  Read more: Private Credit Is Making Bets on Consumer Debt at a Precarious Time Hosted by Stacey Vanek Smith; Produced by David Fox; Reported by J.J. McCorvey and René Ismail; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Julia Press and Laura Newcombe; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weekend Listen: America in Free Fall? Historian Jill Lepore on the US at 250 05.07.2026 40min

For America’s 250th anniversary and our Weekend Listen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jill Lepore joins Mishal Husain to take her through her book on the US Constitution.We The People explores how the Constitution came about and, crucially, how there was an expectation that it would likely change over time. This is not, however, an episode entirely set in the past, because Jill Lepore is acutely alive to the pressures of the moment and of the contested sense of what America is or should be.Contact The Mishal Husain Show mishalshow@bloomberg.net Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On USA’s 250th, Even the Party Planners Are Divided 03.07.2026 21min

The federal programming leading up to the United States’ 250th anniversary this weekend has ranged from the genteel (essay contests for grade-schoolers and a national push for volunteerism) to the MAGA-coded (a “Freedom Truck” convoy and a UFC cage fight on the White House lawn). The events are the product of rival planning committees – one created last year by the Trump administration, another by Congress a decade ago. On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg Businessweek Senior Editor Laura Bliss about the funding battles and cronyism allegations that have dogged this year’s events – and how they echo earlier chapters of American history. Read more:  The Money and Influence Behind America’s Very MAGA 250th Birthday Party Why the Great American State Fair Looks So Empty  We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Laura Bliss; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott and Tracey Samuelson. Fact-checking by David Fox; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Underground Peptide Market Is Getting Ready to Go Mainstream 02.07.2026 18min

In just a few years, peptides have grown from fringe drugs popular with fitness buffs and ‘looksmaxxers’ to a billion-dollar black market. Now, with the prospect of regulation on the horizon, healthcare players and investors are racing to cash in. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Amanda Mull and Madison Muller join host Sarah Holder to break down the peptide boom, the safety concerns surrounding it and how a friendly Trump administration could bring it into the mainstream. Read more: Peptides Fuel a Multibillion-Dollar Startup Race Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Laura Newcombe, Victor Swezey; Reported by Amanda Mull, Madison Muller; Edited by Julia Weaver, Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Julia Press; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

‘Claude, How Should I Vote in 2026?’ 01.07.2026 17min

In the 2026 elections, artificial intelligence is the backdrop for just about everything. The US and Anthropic reached a truce in recent days that lets the company roll out its powerful models to some users, the sort of on-the-fly decision-making that has candidates jockeying to shape how AI is regulated. Big AI companies are pouring money into 2026 state and federal races, dwarfing the cryptocurrency industry’s spending in 2024. And even as AI is fueling Americans’ anxiety about jobs and energy prices, it’s feeding them the ads and information that will shape their votes: According to one survey, 55% of US voters under the age of 45 are likely to use chatbots to learn about candidates and elections.  On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Michael Shepard, a senior editor focusing on AI, joins David Gura to discuss what the first AI election means for our current moment. We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Michael Shepard; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey, Julia Press and David Fox; Engineering by Emma Munger. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia’s AI Stock Frenzy Is a Warning Sign for Global Markets 30.06.2026 17min

Thanks to the AI boom, stock markets in Taiwan and South Korea have seen historic rallies this year. But as retail investors pile in, often using borrowed money, concerns are growing over whether this momentum is sustainable. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, guest host Rebecca Choong Wilkins speaks with Bloomberg’s Asian markets reporter Charlotte Yang and Bloomberg Opinion’s Shuli Ren about the risks of betting on AI and how potential fallout could ripple beyond the region. Read more: Taiwanese Go Deep Into Debt to Amp 100% Stock Rally  Play Micron, Hynix and Samsung ETFs at Your Peril  Hosted by Rebecca Choong Wilkins; Produced by Naomi Ng; Reported by Charlotte Yang, Shuli Ren, Chien-Hua Wan; Edited by Paddy Hirsch, Jiyeun Lee, Julia Weaver. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Special Report: US Supreme Court Upholds Birthright Citizenship 30.06.2026 1min

A divided Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional right to birthright citizenship, rejecting President Trump’s planned restrictions and invalidating a central plank of his immigration agenda. We have more on that story next from Bloomberg News Now, tracking the latest business headlines from around the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.