Forget the S&P or CPI. Meet the Bacon Egg and Cheese Index

The US government is facing its first potential shutdown in nearly seven years, and the clock is ticking. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Congress editor Megan Scully and host David Gura break down the political incentives for President Trump, the Republican Party and for Democrats — and discuss what’s at stake for the economy if a shutdown comes to pass. Read more: US Economy Will Only Get Murkier If Key Data Is Delayed in ShutdownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 Sep 16min

A Kindbody employee discovers the company is helping an imprisoned billionaire father multiple children through surrogates and egg donors. In this episode, reporter Jackie Davalos investigates Greg Lindberg's "baby project" and what it illustrates about America's unregulated fertility industry. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody StorySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 Sep 44min

Kindbody implements quotas requiring doctors to perform more lucrative procedures, internal company documents show. In Episode 4 of IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, patients report being pushed toward expensive IVF cycles and questionable add-ons. Bloomberg’s Jackie Davalos investigates how financial pressure drove medical decisions at the struggling fertility chain—including one woman's painful and seemingly unnecessary procedure that would leave her questioning everything. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody StorySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 Sep 41min

This week, President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent surprised markets when they signaled broad economic support — including a potential $20 billion swap line — for Argentinian President Javier Milei amid deep financial and political uncertainty in South America’s second-largest economy. So, what’s behind this gesture and how would it work? On today’s episode, Bloomberg’s Patrick Gillespie joins Big Take host David Gura from Buenos Aires to unpack what US support could mean for Milei as he faces a referendum on his economic agenda. Read more: US Readies $20 Billion Rescue to Help Milei Win In ArgentinaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Sep 17min

The United States is responsible for about 20% of the UN’s annual budget. But it hasn’t paid its dues in months. And the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the international body is now facing hard choices. On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with Guterres and Bloomberg’s Magdalena Del Valle to discuss whether the institution can survive funding cuts and prove its relevancy in a time of rising global tensions. Without the full backing of the US, how much can the UN do to promote peace and security around the world — and what will that mean for the people they support?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Sep 15min

After months of negotiation, the US and China have reached a tentative agreement to secure TikTok’s future in the US. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove and Mark Anderson to unpack TikTok’s “America-First” era. They discuss what you need to know about potential changes to the platform, how a majority American-controlled board could impact the app’s future and what the deal tells us about China-US negotiations moving forward. Read more: TikTok’s Algorithm to Be Secured by Oracle Under Trump Deal What We Do and Don’t Know About US TikTok Deal With China Further listening: Americans Flocked to RedNote as the TikTok Ban Loomed. Will the Party Last?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23 Sep 18min

Fewer deals. Long wait times for returns on investments. Struggles with fundraising. Even with an interest rate cut, private equity, which thrives on flipping and selling companies for a profit, is in a slump. What would it take for the industry to bounce back? On today’s Big Take podcast, private equity reporter Allison McNeely on what’s contributing to an existential slowdown that has private equity firms scrambling to find a path forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Sep 17min

Kindbody doubles its size overnight through a major acquisition, with executives telling employees they'll be rich enough to buy private jets. In Episode 3 of IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, Bloomberg reporter Jackie Davalos reports on internal documents revealing that the company is hemorrhaging cash. As layoffs reduce the number of patient-facing employees, one clinic's staffing crunch sets the stage for an error that led one woman to give up on her dream of motherhood. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody StorySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Sep 33min