Here's Why

Russians will go to the polls on 18-20 September to elect members of the State Duma, the lower chamber of parliament. It's a tightly managed institution under President Putin, and his party's control of it is unlikely to be threatened. The vote will function, however, as a litmus test for a war-fatigued authoritarian system. Tony Halpin, who leads Bloomberg's team covering Russia, joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mounting anxiety over the US deficit has spurred demand for alternatives to the dollar, such as gold and Bitcoin. A movement away from dollar assets has been driven by fear the greenback will lose its purchasing power, but will those concerns last? Our Markets Live Managing Editor Kristine Aquino joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Money is a new, weekly podcast focused on YOUR money. Listen for wealth strategies, retirement tips and a personal finance insights. Join Tom Keene and Scarlet Fu for new episodes every Friday. Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bloomberg-money/id6803227140 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3lvzLLAZMdrxTB6y68Nb5g See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first rung of the career ladder is getting harder to reach. Entry-level openings are shrinking, competition is fierce, and AI is taking over junior tasks. At the same time, remote work and AI-powered applications are changing how companies hire and train workers. If entry-level jobs no longer provide an entry point, how are young people supposed to get the experience employers now expect? Our UK economy reporter Irina Anghel joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

European capitals are on alert for hybrid warfare attacks from Russia. One European intelligence official recently told Bloomberg that such moves could include infrastructure sabotage or false-flag attacks. What sort of threat does this pose to NATO countries, and how is Europe responding? Our Europe Executive Editor Chad Thomas joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A UN index of food-commodity prices has hit its highest level in more than three years, as extreme weather, wildfires and conflicts disrupt crop growing and transport. Wheat, corn and sugar are among the key foodstuffs that have seen sharp prices rises. So how significant is the damage to supplies, and how long could a recovery take? Our agriculture reporter Eleanor Thornber joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan and the United States carried out their first joint currency intervention in 15 years to prop up the yen. It's the latest in a series of moves by Tokyo to boost its currency, which recently hit its weakest level in 40 years against the dollar. So why is the US getting involved, and will more action be necessary? Our Executive Editor for Asia Markets Paul Dobson joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's Coast Guard has become one of the world's largest maritime law-enforcement agencies. Its fleet of more than 600 vessels is a key part of Beijing's maritime strategy, routinely patrolling disputed waters and clashing with ships from neighboring countries. So why is China using the Coast Guard, rather than the navy, for these missions? Our China defense reporter Josh Xiao joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Warsh wants to be a quieter kind of Federal Reserve Chair. His first statement leading the rate-setting committee was half the length of the previous one from his Jerome Powell. He's no longer placing a dot on the chart of interest rate projections, and wants a task force to overhaul the central bank's communication. What does the Fed saying less mean for markets and monetary policy? Our Federal Reserve reporter Enda Curran joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2025, Australia introduced a world-first ban on under-16s accessing social media. At least a dozen other countries are planning similar measures, backed by parents worried about the harmful effects platforms can have on their children. While the effectiveness of age-related bans is still unclear, policymakers are stepping up pressure on tech companies. Bloomberg Opinion columnist Parmy Olson joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Around the world, governments are pouring more than two trillion dollars into defense. The money is flowing, but the results are mixed. Bloomberg Economics's Defense Lead Becca Wasser joins Stephen Carroll to explain why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Countries from New Zealand to Portugal have revamped their golden visa offerings, in an effort to continue to attract wealthy investors to move there. While securing these visas is getting more difficult in some places, governments continue to use them as a tool to boost their economies. Our reporter Charlie Wells joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Record temperatures in Europe have pushed demand for electricity higher, but heatwaves also threaten the generation and distribution of power. Despite rising production from renewable sources, there are risks to the stability of Europe's networks. Our power and renewables reporter Eamon Farhat joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Silicon Valley spent much of the past few years feverishly pushing consumers and businesses to inject artificial intelligence into every corner of their lives. Now AI developers want their customers to pay more for the technology they actually use. Bloomberg's Markets Reporter Anthony Stephens joins Stephen Carroll to discuss what AI tokens are and how the price of them is reshaping the thinking around the future technology. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent outbreaks of Ebola and Hantavirus are reminders that when such rare diseases flare up, they have the potential, in our interconnected world, to spread beyond their points of origin. Bloomberg's Health Reporter Jessica Nix joins Caroline Hepker to explain why while neither of these deadly menaces is thought likely to provoke a global epidemic they’ve stoked anxiety about the ability to respond to such a threat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 World Cup is just days away, but the tournament is already being overshadowed by political tensions, security concerns and questions about whether the US can deliver a smooth global event. Bloomberg's Randall Williams joins Caroline Hepker to explain how geopolitics are becoming one of the biggest storylines heading into kickoff. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A prolonged period of elevated long-term bond yields is ramping up borrowing costs around the world. That in turn affects the cost of mortgages, credit card debt, car loans and other borrowing, squeezing households and companies and weakening economic activity. Bloomberg's Head of Economics and Government Stephanie Flanders joins Caroline Hepker to discuss what's behind the rise, how it changes the global economy and if some countries are at risk a bond doom loop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For years, the world’s biggest alcohol companies were raising a glass to steady growth. But now, consumers are pulling back. What does this mean for the industry and are habits changing forever? Bloomberg's Global Business Reporter Jennifer Creery joins Caroline Hepker to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Iran war is causing unprecedented disruption to global energy supplies, but continuing enthusiasm for artificial intelligence has helped to propel stock markets to repeated record highs. Are investors ignoring the risks from the conflict in the Middle East, or are tech stocks insulated from them? Bloomberg Tech Europe Anchor Tom Mackenzie joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and China's relationship has been characterized for years by rivalry and deep economic ties. They compete on trade, on technology, and for global influence, and still they need each other. Now the war in Iran is pulling Beijing and Washington into a new standoff. As Donald Trump prepares to meet Xi Jinping, the question is whether the world’s two largest economies can steady the relationship, or see tensions deepen further. Our co-head for Asia John Liu joins Caroline Hepker to discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.