Big Take

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Latest Episodes:

Is the Fed Flying Blind? Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

On Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points, following its 25-basis-point cut in September. But amid a government shutdown limiting key data and questions about who will succeed Chair Jerome Powell, what comes next is anyone’s guess.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Amara Omeokwe and Enda Curran join host David Gura to break down the path forward for the central bank: from the shutdown’s impact on its decision-making to the leading contenders for Powell’s position when his term ends in May.

Powell Says December Rate Cut ‘Far From’ Forgone Conclusion

Here Are the Five Contenders to Replace Powell as Fed Chair

The Economic Data Lost in a Shutdown

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Tariffed: The Toymaker That Took on Trump Part One Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

The US-China tariff war has upended global manufacturing, forcing companies like Chicago-based Learning Resources to fundamentally change how and where its products are made.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, K. Oanh Ha heads to Vietnam, where the toymaker has begun shifting the production of its popular children’s toys. We examine how the company is managing its complex shift from China – where its toys have been made for decades – what the factory boom means for communities on the ground in Vietnam and how all of this will impact consumers.

Further listening: The American Toymaker Suing Trump Over Destructive Tariffs
Xi’s Top Bargaining Chip Is a Trade War Game Changer

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New York’s MTA Chief on Trump’s Funding Threats Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

Running North America’s largest transportation network is no easy task. Janno Lieber, the CEO and Chair of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is in charge of everything from upgrading ancient train infrastructure to advancing long-delayed expansion plans. He’s now also dealing with potential federal funding cuts for two of his agency’s signature projects – expanding the Second Avenue Subway into East Harlem and building a new commuter rail tunnel to connect New York and New Jersey.

Today on the show, Lieber sits down with host Sarah Holder to discuss his approach to running the agency in the face of these threats, his thoughts on NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s free bus proposal, and his advice for other cities who want to up their public transit ambitions.

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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Shutdown Day 23 Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

On day 23 of the second-longest government shutdown in American history, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries sits down with Big Take Host David Gura to talk about the shutdown, the NYC mayoral race and cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

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How Did an Alaska Native Corporation Become an ICE Detention Giant? Oct 23, 2025

Show notes

Over the last decade, Nana Regional Corp. — an Alaska Native corporation based in a small community roughly 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle — has won contracts worth more than $1 billion to run and support ICE detention facilities around the US.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg investigative reporter Polly Mosendz and KOTZ news director Desiree Hagen look into how a company that once focused on local Alaskan industries, like mining and hospitality, became an ICE detention giant — and why some shareholders are starting to push back.

This story was reported in collaboration with KOTZ and Alaska Public Media. KOTZ, a partner station of Alaska Public Media, has received donations from local businesses, including Nana, in the past.

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Xi’s Rare Earths Bargaining Chip Is a Trade War Game Changer Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

China’s dominance of rare earths has given Xi Jinping powerful leverage over Donald Trump ahead of their expected meeting next week.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s Daniel Ten Kate dig into how China is weaponizing rare earths and what the economic standoff means for a trade deal and the future of US-China relations.

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The Race to Buy Warner Bros. Discovery Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

Some of the biggest names in tech and Hollywood are training their sights on Warner Bros. Discovery, the media and entertainment conglomerate that owns HBO Max, CNN and TNT.

The first party to make an offer was Paramount Skydance, the newly-merged company helmed by David Ellison.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw joins host David Gura to share his reporting on why Ellison wants to buy Warner Bros. Discovery — and what more consolidation would mean for Hollywood, the news business and consumers.

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A Brazen, 7-Minute Jewelry Heist at the Louvre Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

In just seven minutes, thieves in France made off with a cache of royal necklaces, tiaras and earrings in a robbery at Paris’s famous Louvre — shutting down the world’s busiest museum and setting off an international manhunt.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura and Bloomberg’s Paris Bureau Chief Alan Katz on the brazen theft that evokes a Hollywood caper, the latest in the investigation and what might happen to the priceless jewels.

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Amex v. Chase: Who Will Win the Battle for America’s Top Shoppers? Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

The competition for America’s wealthiest shoppers is heating up, with credit card companies like American Express and Chase using every perk in the book to enroll new cardholders.
On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Amanda Mull tracks how the leading credit card companies are using perks, promotions and points to win the business of the 10 percent of Americans responsible for nearly 50 percent of the country’s discretionary spending. Who will win this high-stakes game – and what’s the cost to the rest of us?

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Why Global Economic Leaders Are Predicting a Slowdown Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

This week, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are holding their annual meetings in Washington, DC and so is the Institute of International Finance. It’s brought a who’s who of central bankers and finance ministers to the US capital — in the midst of a government shutdown — to discuss the most pressing issues facing the global economy.

Bloomberg reporters and editors from all over the world have also made the pilgrimage to Washington, including Brendan Murray, who oversees global trade coverage, along with Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway, the hosts of Odd Lots.

On today’s Big Take podcast, they join host David Gura to share what they’re hearing at official events and on the sidelines of these meetings and what it reveals about the health of the economy and global markets.

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