Everybody's Business

This week, the economy takes us on a long trip of its own. Rockefeller International's Ruchir Sharma guides Stacey and Max through the siren sound of tariffs, populism and a bubble that may soon pop. Then, AI companies chart a course into an unexpected harbor: merch, with Bloomberg's Sarah Frier joining to explain why OpenAI, Anthropic and Palantir are suddenly selling apparel instead of just algorithms. Plus: a Florida shop paying for pizzas with pythons, and Elon Musk wants an anti-woke OdysseySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things are feeling a bit scammy lately, and it makes sense because it’s coming right from the top. Max and Stacey talk with Bloomberg Opinion senior executive editor Timothy L. O’Brien about America’s “Grifter-in-Chief”. Plus, Bloomberg senior reporter Randall Williams breaks down why soccer fever has finally caught hold here, and food reporter Deena Shanker is on the case of the missing generic Triscuits.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’re not imagining it: things are a lot worse than they used to be. From movie theaters to bowling alleys, there’s a drop in quality places to have a good time. Max and Stacey chat with Bloomberg reporter Ben Steverman to figure out why fun is now a luxury good. Plus, with rising heat and demands on the grid by power-hungry data centers, what does the future look like for energy consumption? Bloomberg reporter Naureen Malik has the answer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg’s daily news podcast Big Take recently released an episode about older workers ditching retirement, the subject of a recent Businessweek story by our very own Stacey Vanek Smith. Please enjoy, and hop on over to subscribe to their feed if you like what you hear! ——————— For a growing number of older workers, retirement is no longer feeling so achievable—or appealing. But staying in the workforce or going back to work in your 60s and 70s comes with challenges, for workers and companies. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Stacey Vanek Smith talks to the World Economic Forum’s Haleh Nazeri about the factors driving the rise in so-called ‘unretirement.’ And we hear from David Lloyd, a radio presenter who’s trying to give other Boomers a later-in-life career boost. Read more: When the Best Retirement Is No Retirement at All We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Stacey Vanek Smith; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Stacey Vanek Smith; Edited by Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Victor Swezey; Engineering by Emma Munger. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With an increasing amount of polarization and conflict, the 250th anniversary of America has been a cultural flashpoint with high-profile museum openings, big tent attractions, and nation-wide programming meant to bring the country together. But with so much focus on the future of the United States, it’s a perfect opportunity to rewind the clock and ask ourselves: “Have we been through this before?” Dan Carlin, host of Hardcore History, has been doing just that for two decades. His show, known for lengthy episodes that dive deep into world wars and fallen empires, have gained a cult following through his consistency, research, and narration style that brings listeners deep into the recesses of history books and encyclopedias to add an ounce of clarity to our present day. For a special bonus episode of Everybody’s Business, Dan joins co-host Max Chafkin for a conversation about what we can anticipate from America centuries from now, based on the political entities that came before it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time to call an emergency board meeting for America, Inc. The country is celebrating its 250th anniversary, and in the wake of groundbreaking Supreme Court rulings, controversial gatherings, and shifting rights, it’s been quite a turbulent time to be an American. Stacey Vanek-Smith and Brad Stone sit down with Martha Gimbel of the Yale Budget Lab and Bloomberg’s Laura Bliss to discuss what patriotism means in our current moment while uncovering the fireworks among the smoke.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it mean to lead a big company now? This week on Everybody’s Business, Max Chafkin and Brad Stone rifle through the medicine cabinet of the most important pharma giant in the world, and uncover the growing resentment towards CEOs of all stripes. Zip up your fleece vest and strap on your understated sneakers, because there’s no worse time to be in the corner office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Skyrocketing stocks, eye-watering prices, looksmaxxing bodybuilders, this is the summer of huge markets both legal and illegal. This week on the show, Stacey and Max solve the case of the $8 ice cream cone, learn about the dicey gray market of peptides, and discover why you should always check your LinkedIn messages.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we're sure you know, we here at Everybody’s Business are big fans of our friends over at Big Take, Bloomberg’s daily news podcast. They recently released an episode about Meta's precarious AI data center journey, the subject of a recent Businessweek story. Please enjoy, and hop on over to subscribe to their feed if you like what you hear!—— By many metrics, Meta is falling behind in the AI race. So CEO Mark Zuckerberg is building one of the largest data centers in the world — a facility the size of about 3,000 football fields in one of the poorest regions in the US. On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg reporter Riley Griffin, who traveled to Richland Parish, Louisiana, to hear from residents about the risks and opportunities they see as Meta comes to town. Will they reap the benefits? Or trade in one uncertain economy for another? Read more: Meta Goes Big on the Bayou We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Riley Griffin; Edited by Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Laura Newcombe and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and Stacey have caught the fever of Big Money. What does this moment of thousand-dollar sporting event tickets and trillion-dollar AI IPOs mean for middle class and retail spending? Bloomberg’s Katie Greifeld and Randall Williams join the show to make sense of the numbers. Plus, a theory behind the declining birth rate and a late-capitalist fragrance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is YouTube the new film incubator? In the wake of two hit movies from internet native directors, Max, Stacey, and Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw figure out if the buzz around Backrooms and Obsession is a trend or a fluke. Plus, we check in on the Iran conflict and China’s role in it with Javier Blas, some clumsy alleged insider trading, and a couple different instances of international art theft.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Across the country, Americans are cutting back on groceries, but maybe they don’t have to. With an eye to one of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s signature initatives, Max and Stacey take you inside a city-run grocery store in Atlanta that keeps some prices low no matter its profit margins. And then, what’s the difference between art and slop? Max sits down with AI filmmaker Matt Zien to weigh the pros and cons of a nearly human-free cast and crew. (We promise that neither Max nor Stacey has been replaced by a chatbot.) Plus, we discover 2026’s song of the summer, and doping in sports is so back.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Puck fashion correspondent Lauren Sherman joins Max and Stacey to break down her latest scoop: direct-to-consumer pioneer Everlane has been acquired by fast-fashion giant Shein for $100 million. What does an opaque e-commerce behemoth want with a brand that built its name on "radical transparency?" Lauren unpacks the corporate irony and offers sanity-saving shopping advice for the ethically whiplashed. Plus, Businessweek contributing writer Megan Greenwell drops by to discuss the roaring success of the WNBA. Fresh off a historic new collective bargaining agreement engineered with the help of a Nobel Prize-winning Harvard economist, the league's growth seems limitless — even if skyrocketing ticket prices are giving day-one fans a bit of sticker shock. Then we debut our new segment, Super Savers, with the story of one resourceful soccer enthusiast who built a viral workaround to attend the World Cup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We here at Everybody’s Business are big fans of our colleagues and friends over at Big Take, Bloomberg’s daily news podcast. They just released and episode hosted by our very own Stacey Vanek Smith and we'd love to share it. Please enjoy, and hop on over to subscribe to their feed if you like what you hear!——The oldest Gen Alphas are still in high school, but some of the early reviews have been scathing. Unruly. Nihilistic. Bad at reading. Yet when Bloomberg Businessweek’s Stacey Vanek Smith dug into the research, she emerged with a more optimistic view on the most online generation yet. Tech savvy. Globally minded. Also, preternaturally good at skincare.On today’s Big Take podcast, Smith tells host David Gura about the cohort that accounts for $100 billion a year in direct spending power in the US alone – and what it might look like when it begins to enter the workforce. Read more: Gen Alpha Can’t Be Ignored We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. Hosted by David Gura; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Stacey Vanek Smith; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott. 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.

Amazon is everywhere, from your doorstep to outer space. So, what is the current state of the Everything Store? This week, Max and Stacey look at the company that is more utility than retailer with Bloomberg Businessweek editor-in-chief Brad Stone. Plus, have you wondered why the stock market has been doing so well even though lots of things don't seem to be going great at home or abroad? Author and economic commentator Kyla Scanlon explains why the record highs keep coming even as oil prices double and the job market is at a standstill. And: a special guest gives us an underrated story that makes the case for booing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer travel this year is shaping up to be an absolutely expensive, chaotic, shrill time. Luckily, we have the cheat codes for avoiding (some of) it. Recorded live at the Ludlow House in New York City for On Air, Max Chafkin and Stacey Vanek Smith, tap Bloomberg travel czar Nikki Ekstein and The Points Guy’s Brian Kelly to provide some understanding, wisdom and good old fashioned travel hacks to lower your anxiety.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Max and Stacey look at two legal battles reshaping the worlds of tech and public health. OpenAI, which started off as a nonprofit, is now worth roughly $850 billion as it eyes an IPO and battles Elon Musk. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman breaks down the company’s latest pivot into hardware, and whether this is what consumers actually want or if it's merely a convenient distraction. On the other coast, the Make America Healthy Again movement goes to the Supreme Court to fight Bayer, maker of herbicide Roundup. Businessweek columnist Deena Shanker was at their latest protest, and is here to explain what the case means for the food industry and a movement that’s at odds with the administration it helped elect. Plus: Prediction market bots, insider trading and a showdown between the state of New York and federal regulators.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer plans often come with a price tag, and right now, that price tag is getting bigger. This week on Everybody’s Business, Max and Stacey dig into the economics of all kinds of tickets.First, the Strait of Hormuz has been opening and closing since the US attack on Iran in February, and the ripple effects are  hitting the aviation industry especially hard. Economist Michelle Brouhard, head of policy and geopolitical risk at global trade intelligence firm Kpler, breaks down what a constrained oil supply means for jet fuel and flight prices. Then, a federal jury has ruled that Live Nation Entertainment monopolized the concert ticketing market. Bloomberg reporter Ashley Carman joins us to explain what the verdict means for Ticketmaster’s grip on the industry, and if fans will actually see relief at checkout. Plus, a tariff offer that you can’t refuse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Molotov cocktail hurled at Sam Altman’s home. Bullets fired at a city councilman who approved the building of a data center. The cultural mood around artificial intelligence has shifted, and this week on Everybody’s Business, we’re trying to make sense of it. Bloomberg tech reporter Sarah Frier joins Max and Stacey to break down what’s driving the new wave of AI backlash, from consumer frustration to outright rage. Then, the job market is rough for everyone, but especially if you're just starting out. Businessweek senior editor Julia Rubin joins the show to talk about what Gen Z is actually up against. Plus, a sneaker company shifts to AI, and a controversial economic term.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In just over a decade, Tether has grown from an idea into a global crypto juggernaut, poised to become one of the world’s most highly valued private companies. But where did its dollar-linked stablecoin come from and where is it headed?Everybody's Business Host Stacey Vanek Smith guest hosted our daily show, The Big Take podcast, and with Bloomberg's Todd Gillespie unpacked one of the most powerful companies you’ve (maybe) never heard of. We're bringing you the episode here as a bonus.Read more: With Billions to Spend, Tether Finds New Allies in WashingtonAs Lutnick Sold Cantor to His Children, Tether Gave Them a LoanIf you're interested in reading more but aren't yet a Bloomberg subscriber, we have a subscription offer for listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six weeks of conflict, a ceasefire on the horizon and a global economy that is forever changed. Stacey and Max make sense of it all and explain what the war in Iran means for oil prices, global trade and America’s place in the world order. Then, with Tax Day approaching, Bloomberg’s Ben Steverman breaks down what’s different this filing season, and tell us if the complications will benefit your bottom line. Plus, tokenmaxxing and a salty economic indicator.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been one year since Liberation Day and the start of the chaos it’s wrought on the American economy. Max and Stacey take stock of what a year of sweeping trade policy means for your wallets with Bloomberg trade reporter Laura Curtis. And speaking of wallets, while Elon Musk is on his way to becoming the world’s first trillionaire, his companies may find their way into your 401(k). Bloomberg tech reporter Dana Hull joins us to explain why investors are betting big on one of Silicon Valley’s most controversial figures. Plus, an Italian candy heist, and skiing is cancelled.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America’s favorite pastime is back, and so is...2008? This week, Max and Stacey cover the bases on the simultaneous cultural renaissance of baseball and the rise of the trillion-dollar private credit industry. Plus, the debut of a brand new segment! Hint: It's about an industry uniting both sides of the political aisle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spring break is here, and so is the chaos. With TSA agents going unpaid amid the partial government shutdown, staffing is short at airports across the country. This week, Stacey and Max trace the invisible threads connecting 2-hour security lines to systems crumbling beneath our feet. Bloomberg reporter Deena Shanker joins to dig into the Epstein files, and explain who faces consequences when things comes crashing down. Then Martha Gimbel of Yale's Budget Lab asks a question on the minds of many Americans: Is retirement actually realistic anymore?Plus, Stacey makes the case for a love letter to the free market, and Max mourns the legless Metaverse.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we explore why very expensive oil might be sticking around despite President Trump’s on-again-off-again declarations of victory in Iran. We break down the "20-cent rule" for gas prices, the Strait of Hormuz chokepoint and the political fallout for the midterms. Plus: Bloomberg’s Ben Steverman on the Wild West that is white collar salaries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As conflict escalates between the US and Israel and Iran, Bloomberg’s Javier Blas reveals a vulnerability hiding in plain sight: the water systems that millions across the Middle East depend on. Plus: AI in wartime, and a gripping new podcast series on Chinese counterintelligence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a rapturous time to be in prediction markets, but is the promise of Kalshi and Polymarket to "financialize everything" a net good for society, or is it gambling in sheep's clothing? We actually have centuries of history that points towards a potential answer. From this year's On Air Fest in New York City, Everybody's Business and Pushkin Industries' Business History come together to explain the lengths people will go for a life-changing payday. (Or, at the very least, a tote bag at a podcast festival.)Place your bets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the hours after publishing our Friday episode, President Trump’s global tariffs have been struck down by the Supreme Court. The newsroom has been buzzing over here at Bloomberg, so Stacey called up Jonathan Lieberman, President of New York Customs Brokers to understand what this news means for our pocketbooks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While salaries are an anchor in many Americans' lives, billionaires instead rely on investment income and tax avoidance to line their pockets. Professor and author Ray Madoff takes us behind the curtain of the mega-rich and their asset-saving tricks, just as states like California and cities like New York debate how to address their crushing budget shortfalls. Plus, what Generation Alpha thinks about your skinny jeans, and Steven Colbert takes on the FCC.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the latest jobs numbers, the economy is on fire, but who is benefitting and who is still struggling? Economist and author Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman joins Max and Stacey to talk about the hidden costs of Black womanhood. And then, business journalist Lauren Sherman follows the thread on why designers and consumers are feeling worn out during New York Fashion Week. Plus, a moonshot ambition and a medieval trend returns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk has long had his eye on Mars, but any real plan appears to be lost in the cosmos. His more immediate ambitions are decidedly more grounded, with the corporate marriage of SpaceX and xAI. Max and Stacey explore what this future conglomerate will mean for the economy with Bloomberg News reporter Dana Hull.  Back on Earth, the biggest sports games in America is pairing up with one of the biggest pop stars of the planet. Bloomberg's Randall Williams joins us from Santa Clara to talk Super Bowl money, Bad Bunny's politics and why the annual event is incredible business for the NFL. Plus, Valentine's Day on a budget, and a cringe-worthy venture targeting Gen Z.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the midst of sub-freezing temperatures in Minneapolis, conflict is heating up between residents and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Meanwhile, a similar battle is brewing between Senate Democrats and Republicans as a pending funding package determines the future of ICE's funding. Reporter Fola Akinnibi joins Max and Stacey to figure out just how much ICE costs to function.Plus, reporter Sarah Frier tells us about a startup that believes it can reverse the declining US population, and two stories about some very precious commodities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump caused some serious whiplash this week. First he called for the US to buy Greenland, and said he would impose tariffs on the European countries standing in his way. But days later, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he seemed to reverse course. Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff and Stacey join Max from the Swiss Alps to make sense of a potential acquisition of the arctic territory. Plus, hold onto your parkas, because Derek Guy (aka "the menswear guy") discusses how America can remanufacture its cool by bringing craftsmanship back stateside. And: Lululemon takes customer transparency to a new level.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell had a message for the nation, and President Donald Trump: intimidation has no place at the Central Bank. Stacey sits down with former Fed Chair and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to talk about why this is such a dangerous moment in history and why Powell's two-minute video was so important. Then Bloomberg reporter Ashley Carman joins Max and Stacey in the studio to discuss what Spotify's new CEOs mean for how you'll stream music and more in the future. Plus, Stacey wonders "are you dead yet?" and Max discovers a spicy way to swipe your way to a new job.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back in the 1970s, Venezuelans became famous for their glamorous one-day shopping trips to Miami. "Ta barato, dame dos," the saying went. "That's cheap. I'll take two." Nowadays, the bolivar has lost practically all its value. Max and Stacey are joined by David Papadopoulos to understand what exactly went wrong with the Venezuelan economy. How did the country go from being stable and wealthy to experiencing runaway inflation and rampant poverty? Papadopoulos traces it back to fluctuating oil prices, too much spending and the difficulty of adjusting to a new way of life.  Also, Deena Shanker sits down in the studio to discuss her new story on weight loss drugs and their impact on the food industry. To get with the times, some restaurant are offering up small, high-protein meals. But are they any good? The trio digs in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Businessweek editor Brad Stone joins Max and Stacey to talk about what we could expect from the new year. Leaving such a banner year for odd stories in the rearview mirror, 2026 is bound to include a lot of surprises. Will the imperial presidency continue or fizzle out? Will the AI bubble keep growing or pop? What economic indicators are worth watching? Is there a hot new office trend on the horizon? The agenda is packed. In addition, Stacey attempts to predict the future using mad libs, and Max presents an updated feud ranking for the new year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does one recap 2025? A herculean task by all accounts. In this episode, Max and Stacey collects the best and brightest in business podcasting to see if they can help make sense of yet another norm breaking year. Joining in the studio are Odd Lots' Tracy Alloway, Slate Money's Felix Salmon and Planet Money's Robert Smith. Together, the quintet covers a year full of feuds, CEO tweets, flubs, big personalities and, of course, numbers. They also play a high stakes game called Who is Donal Trump Talking About?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we talk about two of the biggest economic stories of 2025: Buy Now Pay Later and $Trump. First, Amanda Mull stops by to discuss BNPL: why its on the rise, how people use it, potential pitfalls and how it's different than just paying with a credit card. Then, Zeke Faux goes through the implausible story of $Trump - the Donald Trump meme coin launched just a few days before the 2025 inauguration. Faux tells Max and Stacey how the Trump team made an estimated $350 million on the coin, while many investors lost money. Also: tepid jobs numbers and new opportunities in sports for the older parts of the population.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we take a look at Trump's latest AI gambit: letting Nvidia sell their AI chips to China. Will this move help feed AI's growth or is it just another step towards making the bubble all the more explosive when it pops? The Verge's Nilay Patel joins Max and Stacey to get to the bottom of this. Also on this show, Lucas Shaw goes through the ins-and-outs of the complicated fight over Warner Bros. Will Netflix succeed in their bid for the storied media giant, or will it be Paramount with its attempt at a hostile takeover?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We here at Everybody’s Business are big fans of our colleagues and friends over at Big Take, Bloomberg’s daily news podcast. So when they released an episode with our very own Max Chafkin, we can’t resist to share it. Please enjoy, and hop on over to subscribe to their feed if you like what you hear!——Excel. If you work in corporate America, that word either inspires laser-focused productivity or pure dread. Over the last 40 years, the spreadsheet software has become synonymous with the best — and worst — of late-stage capitalism. It’s seeped into popular culture and, along the way, made Microsoft one of the world’s most valuable companies.But in a world of AI and new competition where Excel=Sum(39+1), can it stay on top? On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Dina Bass and Businessweek’s Max Chafkin join host Sarah Holder to track the rise and challenges ahead for one of the most ubiquitous programs around.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Live from the stage at our Dec. 4 event at Bloomberg’s headquarters in New York, Ellen Huet joins Max and Stacey to talk about her recent story on chatbot delusion. As people’s lives get increasingly entangled with AI, cases of intense human-bot connections breaking up families, businesses, and even pushing people to question their own sanity is raising with an alarming rate. They also discuss Huet's recent book Empire of Orgasm: Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult. Also, back in the studio, Max and Stacey take a look at puzzlingly positive Black Friday sales.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To celebrate Black Friday, this week’s Everybody’s Business is all about two staples of this unofficial US holiday: commerce and football. First, New York Times’ Ken Belson sits down with Max and Stacey to discuss his new book Every Day Is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL into a Cultural & Economic Juggernaut. Belson explains how the National Football League has managed to grow into the most valuable sports league in the world and why the game is so perfectly suited for television. Also paying a visit to the studio is Wirecutter’s Annemarie Conte. She breaks down how the popular site manages to dig out and organize such a barrage of deals, and previews what jaded consumers can expect this Black Friday, amid tariffs and trade wars.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reporter Max Abelson gives Stacey and Max a primer on the business dealings of disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein. Abelson has sifted through thousands of emails to and from Epstein and explains to Max and Stacey what Epstein's business dealings, both legal and unlawful, really was. He also describes why - 20 years into a career of reporting on money and power - he is taken aback of the cruelty involved. Plus, as America gears up for Thanksgiving, there’s a lot of anxiety about rising food prices. But are the worries warranted? A recent report shows that the average Thanksgiving meal might actually be cheaper in 2025 than previous years. What gives? Deena Shanker joins Max and Stacey to set the record straight. For more information about the first Everybody's Business live event - happening December 4 in New York City -  click here!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the government reopens, the Trump administration introduces a new solution to the American housing crisis—the 50 year mortgage. The idea is getting hammered from the right and the left alike but gets support from at least one person: economist and Bloomberg Opinion contributor Allison Schrager. Can this new concept take some pressure off of struggling first-time homebuyers or will it be yet another white whale in an increasingly impossible financial game? Max and Stacey pick Allison’s brain to find out. Also, Amanda Mull joins in the studio to talk about her new Businessweek cover story on Ulta, which she dubs the " Home Depot of the beauty industry.” While other retailers are struggling, Ulta is thriving as the largest beauty store in America. Does all this success ultimately come down to the so-called “lipstick effect?” Amanda explains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Yglesias, author of the Slow Boring newsletter, sits down with Max and Stacey to discuss the recent string of Democratic victories in US elections. The most remarkable happened in New York City, where Democratic socialist Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani will soon be in charge of one of the global capitals of capitalism. Will Mamdani be able to go through with his ambitious agenda or will he soon realize - like many before him - that being a mayor is more about garbage collection than transforming the transit system and launching city-run grocery stores?The duo also talk to The Atlantic’s Ellen Cushing about her recent story on food delivery apps and how they are impacting US food culture and social life.Also, for this week’s underrated story, Max presents a surprising attempt for a government bailout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Max and Stacey are joined by Leo Feler, an economist with a unique perspective on the Trump administration’s immigration and deportation policies. During a  recent renovation project, Feler’s property was raided by federal agents looking to detain workers they believed were in the country illegally. Feler recounts the dramatic incident and explains how raids like these could have a chilling effect on the US economy. Also on the show, Sean Fennessey, chief content officer of The Ringer, and co-host of The Big Picture podcast joins to debate just how bad of a year this has been for Hollywood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kyla Scanlon visits the studio armed with her three most pressing indicators of the state of the economy. What do we make of all those auto loan defaults? Is Jamie Dimon’s new $3 billion “fortress” a harbinger of fundamental changes in the labor market? And why does an economically anxious population keep on spending? Lots to discuss. Max and Stacey also sit down with David Papadopoulos to talk about the forthcoming, high stakes election in Argentina and try to make sense of the Trump administration’s attempt to help the country out: a currency swap. Is it a bailout or does the US really need $20 billion worth of pesos?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Make sense of the world with one essential conversation, every week. Mishal Husain, one of Britain's best interviewers, brings her signature blend of curiosity and tenacity to weekly conversations with world leaders, business titans, and cultural icons, revealing who they really are and how they see the world changing around them.Follow the podcast wherever you listen, so you don't miss an episode.https://link.podtrac.com/iu94w2n4See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we hear from Domer - a longtime prediction markets junky who has placed more than $400 million worth of bets using Polymarket. At any point he might have 1,000 or more bets on prediction market sites, ranging from wagers of a few thousand dollars to as much as $1 million, roughly the sum he put on Taylor Swift’s new album sales. Plus, Bloomberg Businessweek columnist Amanda Mull explains the premium credit card wars, and we discuss OpenAI's forthcoming foray into pornography.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Polymarket is a strange place. You can bet on the price of Ethereum, whether Russia and Ukraine will agree to a ceasefire this year or who the next French prime minister will be. As silly as this might sound, Polymarket is worth $8 billion, according to an investment by the owner of the New York Stock Exchange. This deal comes on the heels of the new partnership between the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and sports betting site FanDuel. Now, in addition to betting on wheat futures, you can bet your life savings on the Lions making it to the Super Bowl. (Side note: Please do not put your life savings on the Lions going to the Super Bowl).  For decades, Wall Street has fought the accusation that investing was “just gambling.” Banks, financial institutions, regulators and the US government have spent decades establishing credibility, legitimacy, oversight and institutions to distinguish Wall Street as much as possible from the nickel slots. Now it seems that Wall Street is embracing its inner casino. Does this shift mean investment banks, hedge funds and bond traders are really all about gambling now? Is there a difference between shorting Tesla and picking which Taylor Swift song will be the least streamed this week? (At least $500,000 is riding on Honey—check out our recent podcast on this very subject. This week , Bloomberg Odd Lots podcast co-host Joe Weisenthal joins Max and Stacey to talk betting markets, investing and what these new partnerships mean for the economy.  Also this week, Casey Newton, host of the Hard Fork podcast, joins to talk about the future of artificial intelligence. Worries about AI companies and technologies being over-valued have been making the rounds. If AI is indeed a bubble, the economic implications could be dire. At the same time, companies, think tanks and workers are desperately trying to game out what kind of impact AI will have on jobs and industries. Everyone, it seems, is placing their bets—and the stakes are high.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.