How Private Equity Lost Its Mojo
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
The Kindbody Story: E3, Rocketship to Nowhere
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
The Kindbody Story: E2, The Embryo Mixup
Dina and B arrive at Kindbody for the embryo transfer they've dreamed about for years. But their doctor delivers news that will make them question whether coming to Kindbody was a mistake. In Episode 2 of IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, Bloomberg reporter Jackie Davalos investigates what went wrong and discovers that this error wasn't an isolated incident. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody StorySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
20 Sep 36min
The Kindbody Story: E1, The Fertility Spa
In 2018 a startup emerged, aiming to revolutionize fertility care with spa-like clinics and Silicon Valley swagger. Kindbody attracted millions from investors eager to disrupt a booming industry. But former employees describe a company that at times cut too many corners as it raced to expand. In Episode 1 of IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, reporter Jackie Davalos investigates what can happen when startup culture collides with the delicate science of creating life. Read more: IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody StorySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
19 Sep 31min
Structured Products Are Back. Why the Boom and What’s the Catch?
When he announced the Fed’s decision to lower interest rates by 25 basis points, Fed Chair Jerome Powell made clear there’s still a bumpy road ahead for the US economy. Inflation is elevated and the labor market is showing signs of weakness. No wonder investors remain on edge. All this market uncertainty has helped fuel the rise of a particular type of investment offering: structured products. They’re supposed to lower investors’ downside risks. But they’re not risk-free. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg equities reporter Yiqin Shen and markets editor Sam Potter break down how these complex investment vehicles work — and what their resurgence reveals about the US economy. Read more: Rich Americans Are Driving a $200 Billion Boom in Complex BetsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
18 Sep 16min
Introducing IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story
Kindbody, one of the largest fertility companies in the US, sought to disrupt egg freezing and IVF by combining spa vibes with Silicon Valley efficiency. The startup raised millions, opened dozens of clinics, and became a billion-dollar unicorn. But its ambition came with consequences. In IVF Disrupted: The Kindbody Story, reporter Jackie Davalos takes listeners beyond Kindbody’s millennial-friendly waiting rooms and into the clinics themselves, showing the sometimes-heartbreaking consequences of bringing the “move fast and break things” mentality to the business of creating life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
18 Sep 1min
With Inflation Still Sticky, Fed Shifts Focus to the Jobs Market
On Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points, a move intended to address concerns about cracks in the labor market. It was a highly anticipated, modest decision from an agency that has been under increasing political pressure from President Trump to do a bigger rate cut. On today’s Big Take podcast, Fed and US economy reporter Amara Omeokwe and host David Gura discuss what the rate cut says about the state of the US job market, the broader economy and the central bank’s independence. Read more: After Rate Cut Powell Says Jobs Market No Longer Very Solid Bessent, Like Fed Governor, Made Contradictory Mortgage Pledges Further listening: Why Trump Is Trying to Fire Lisa Cook See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
17 Sep 17min
The Gen Z Protestors Challenging Asia’s Ruling Elite
Across South Asia, Gen Z protestors are flooding the streets, demanding change. These protests have resulted in some of the worst violence Nepal and Indonesia have seen in years, presenting a challenge to the ruling elites. On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg Opinion’s Karishma Vaswani about what’s driving this wave of youth-led uprisings and what it would take for lasting political change. Read more: Gen Z Protesters Are Challenging Asia’s Old Guard Further listening: After a Deadly Student Uprising, Bangladesh Starts Over, AgainSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
16 Sep 17min
