Here's Why

China is drawing lessons from the Trump administration’s still unfinished “peace plan” for Russia and Ukraine. President Xi Jinping is using the opportunity to sharpen the lines around his long-declared objective of unification with Taiwan. Bloomberg Opinion columnist Karishma Vaswani joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. You can read her latest piece on the topic here: Is China Preparing an Ukraine-Style Plan for Taiwan? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil prices have been falling as this year looks set to end with the first supply glut since 2020. While lower prices benefit some, they're not good news for everyone. Bloomberg's Oil Strategist Julian Lee joins Caroline Hepker to explain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world's biggest tech firms are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into artificial intelligence. Those building AI technology are predicting massive growth. Despite all the bullish sentiment, some investors are still worried about future costs. Bloomberg Tech Europe anchor Tom Mackenzie joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US economy is growing, but Americans are feeling gloomy about it. Democratic candidates who campaigned on pocketbook issues won by big margins in Virginia and New Jersey governors’ races — so how will the parties play this issue ahead of the midterms? Our Managing Editor for US Economy and Government Mario Parker joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump began his second term in office by promising to be a peacemaker and keep the United States out of foreign conflicts. Since then, he has ramped up threats of military intervention abroad, from the Middle East to Venezuela. Our head of economics and government coverage across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, Flavia Krause-Jackson, joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump administration demolished the East Wing of the White House in order to make space for a new 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The demolition surprised historians and architects who didn't realize the most prominent civic building in the US could be altered so dramatically without public discussion. Kriston Capps from Bloomberg CityLab joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The European Union has agreed plans to ban all gas supplies from Russia by the end of 2027. Weaning European countries off Russian supplies has been a complex, and sometimes painfully slow, process. Our EU energy reporter John Ainger joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's top policymakers are finalizing their next five-year plan for the country, for the period from 2026-2030. It's a blueprint for economic and social development at a time when Beijing is facing a myriad of challenges at home and abroad. Jenni Marsh, who leads Bloomberg's team covering China's economics and government, joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some of the world's wealthiest countries are struggling with debts higher than their own GDP, and it's upending their politics. Governments in France, the UK, the US and elsewhere are having to balance rising interest payments with demands for more investment, welfare or security. Bloomberg's Head of Economics and Government Stephanie Flanders joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a great six months for US stock markets, despite turbulence from tariffs and geopolitical tensions. Economic data continues to surprise to the upside. The Federal Reserve has extended a fresh lifeline to Wall Street. But beneath that surface, there are some signs of a shift in investor sentiment. Our Markets Live Managing Editor Kristine Aquino joins host Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.