All year, the jobs market, consumer sentiment, AI and inflation flashed warning signs about the economy — but 2025 managed to avoid a recession.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks with Bloomberg’s Stacey Vanek Smith and Moody’s Analytics Mark Zandi to understand what this year’s wonky economy can tell us as we head into 2026 and what to watch for in the new year.

Read more: US Recession Risk Is Receding as We Move Into 2026

All year, the jobs market, consumer sentiment, AI and inflation flashed warning signs about the economy &mdash; but 2025 managed to avoid a recession.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Stacey Vanek Smith and Moody&rsquo;s Analytics Mark Zandi to understand what this year&rsquo;s wonky economy can tell us as we head into 2026 and what to watch for in the new year.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-us-recession-risk/?srnd=undefined">US Recession Risk Is Receding as We Move Into 2026</a>

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

Wait, Weren’t We Supposed to Have a Recession in 2025?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/647dce89-8e16-49f3-ab9c-b3b4016ad18d/transcript

After a month of fighting, President Trump took his case for war with Iran to the American people Wednesday night. In a prime-time address that sent energy markets surging, he promised both an imminent end to the conflict and two to three weeks of further intense military strikes.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Jeff Mason unpack the president’s brief, often contradictory speech. They discuss how it put investors and key allies on the back foot, what it could mean for the president’s agenda heading into the midterms and where the conflict goes from here.

We are live blogging our coverage of the war with Iran at Bloomberg.com with the latest from across the globe. 

Here’s what else we’re watching today:

Trump Ousts Bondi After Chaotic Tenure at Justice Department

Blue Owl Limits Redemptions on Private Credit Funds After Massive Exit Requests

After a month of fighting, President Trump took his case for war with Iran to the American people Wednesday night. In a prime-time address that sent energy markets surging, he promised both an imminent end to the conflict and two to three weeks of further intense military strikes.
On today&rsquo;s&nbsp;Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Jeff Mason unpack the president&rsquo;s brief, often contradictory speech. They discuss how it put investors and key allies on the back foot, what it could mean for the president&rsquo;s agenda heading into the midterms and where the conflict goes from here. We are <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2026-04-02/iran-latest">live blogging</a> our coverage of the war with Iran at Bloomberg.com with the latest from across the globe.&nbsp;
Here&rsquo;s what else we&rsquo;re watching today:
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-02/attorney-general-pam-bondi-was-ousted-trump-tells-fox-news-mnhqbnds?srnd=homepage-americas">Trump Ousts Bondi After Chaotic Tenure at Justice Department</a>
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-02/blue-owl-bdcs-impose-caps-after-facing-41-22-requests-to-exit?srnd=homepage-americas">Blue Owl Limits Redemptions on Private Credit Funds After Massive Exit Requests</a>

Trump Made His Case for War With Iran. It Backfired

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/60ccaf28-a6de-425c-ba4b-b420015a4b84/transcript

US President Donald Trump spoke for nearly 20 minutes from the White House, saying the US would hit Iran “extremely hard” in the next two to three weeks, and that he’d strike key infrastructure like electric plants if no deal is reached.

Stocks fell and oil jumped on his comments, with Brent rising 5% as Trump talked about possible escalation and reiterated his call for other nations to step in to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

This is a developing story. We are live blogging at Bloomberg.com with the latest from across the globe. You can also listen at Bloomberg Daybreak or Bloomberg News Now.

We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.

US President Donald Trump spoke for nearly 20 minutes from the White House, saying the US would hit Iran &ldquo;extremely hard&rdquo; in the next two to three weeks, and that he&rsquo;d strike key infrastructure like electric plants if no deal is reached. Stocks fell and oil jumped on his comments, with Brent rising 5% as Trump talked about possible escalation and reiterated his call for other nations to step in to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
This is a developing story. We are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2026-04-02/iran-latest?srnd=homepage-americas">live blogging</a> at Bloomberg.com with the latest from across the globe. You can also listen at <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bloomberg-daybreak-us-edition/id1663860720">Bloomberg Daybreak</a> or <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bloomberg-news-now/id1701403307">Bloomberg News Now</a>. We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/subscriptions/podcasts">Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.</a>

Special Report: President Trump's Prime Time Address

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/313ac210-483d-435b-99b3-b42000372898/transcript

Fueled by a powerful mix of FOMO and a government drive to accelerate AI adoption, OpenClaw has exploded in popularity across China. But as these agentic systems gain sweeping access to personal data, reports of them “going rogue” are beginning to surface.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg’s Luz Ding and Bloomberg Opinion’s Catherine Thorbecke to dig into the rapid rise of agentic AI in China, why it has taken hold so quickly and the mounting security concerns pushing users and regulators to reassess the risks.

Read more: There’s Method to China’s OpenClaw Madness

China’s OpenClaw Obsession Is a Risky Gamble on Experimental AI

Fueled by a powerful mix of FOMO and a government drive to accelerate AI adoption, OpenClaw has exploded in popularity across China. But as these agentic systems gain sweeping access to personal data, reports of them &ldquo;going rogue&rdquo; are beginning to surface.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Luz Ding and Bloomberg Opinion&rsquo;s Catherine Thorbecke to dig into the rapid rise of agentic AI in China, why it has taken hold so quickly and the mounting security concerns pushing users and regulators to reassess the risks. 
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-03-31/china-s-openclaw-madness-has-a-method">There&rsquo;s Method to China&rsquo;s OpenClaw Madness</a>
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-03-13/gripped-by-openclaw-china-runs-massive-risky-ai-experiment">China&rsquo;s OpenClaw Obsession Is a Risky Gamble on Experimental AI</a>

Meet OpenClaw: The AI Craze Sweeping China

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/27b8e753-9396-457f-9aba-b41f010a79f1/transcript

Wait, Weren’t We Supposed to Have a Recession in 2025?

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