Bloomberg Daybreak: US Edition

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to next week’s Fed decision and earnings from Oracle and Adobe. In the UK – a look ahead to the Blackhat cybersecurity conference. In Asia – a look ahead to China consumer and producer price data. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. has entered exclusive negotiations to sell its film and TV studios and HBO Max streaming service to Netflix Inc., according to people familiar with the discussions. Netflix is offering a $5 billion breakup fee if regulators don’t approve the deal, said the people, who asked to not be identified because the discussions are private. The two companies could announce a deal as soon as in the coming days, assuming talks don’t fall apart, the people said. The move suggests Netflix has pulled ahead of Paramount Skydance Corp. and Comcast Corp., who were also competing for the asset. Prior to the closing of the sale, Warner Bros. — valued at more than $60 billion overall — will complete the planned spinoff of cable channels including CNN, TBS and TNT.2) The US lobbied several countries in the European Union in an effort to block EU plans to use frozen Russian central bank assets to back a massive loan to Ukraine, according to European diplomats familiar with the matter. US officials argued to member states that the assets are needed to help secure a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow and should not be used to prolong the war, said the diplomats, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.3) India will pay about $2 billion to lease a nuclear-powered submarine from Russia, according to people familiar with the matter, finalizing delivery of the vessel after roughly a decade of talks just as President Vladimir Putin makes a visit to New Delhi. Talks for leasing the attack submarine from Russia had stalled over the years because of price negotiations, the people said, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private. The two sides have now agreed on the deal, with Indian officials visiting a Russian shipyard in November.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Kevin Hassett may not have the ability to deliver the rapid pace of interest rate cuts President Trump would like, even if he is approved as the next Federal Reserve Chair, said Gregory Peters, co-chief investment officer at PGIM Fixed Income. Peters made the remarks amid rising talk that Hassett, the White House National Economic Council Director, may ease monetary policy aggressively to please Trump if he is picked to run the Fed. But the PGIM fund manager suggested that — since Fed rate decisions are ultimately decided by committee — Hassett won’t have the power to deliver on his own. Peters’ remarks were in response to a Financial Times report that bond investors, including those on the borrowing advisory committee, have voiced concerns to the US Treasury about Hassett’s potential appointment as the Fed chief.2) President Trump’s aides and allies are discussing the possibility of making Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent the top White House economic adviser — in addition to his current job — should the president pick Kevin Hassett as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, according to people familiar with the matter. Tapping Bessent to lead the White House’s National Economic Council would allow him to consolidate oversight of Trump’s economic policies if Hassett — the current NEC director — becomes the next leader of the US central bank, an announcement Trump has hinted at in recent days. If Bessent is also named to the NEC, he would become the chief arbiter of the administration’s economic portfolio spanning the purview of both the Treasury Department and White House. It would also give Bessent a West Wing office, granting him even more physical proximity to the president.3) The Pentagon watchdog concluded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth risked endangering American troops and the US mission against Houthi rebels in Yemen when he shared attack plans on the Signal messaging app, a person familiar with the matter said. The acting Pentagon inspector general’s classified report, delivered to a Senate committee yesterday, said Hegseth violated government policies by using his personal phone and Signal to transmit the information, which was marked “Secret.” The person describing the contents of the report asked not to be identified discussing private information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) The Kremlin said Vladimir Putin held “very useful” talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner though the sides failed to reach agreement on a plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The negotiations lasting almost five hours were “constructive and very informative,” though “a compromise hasn’t been reached yet” on the critical issue of territorial control, Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow. A possible meeting between Putin and President Trump “will depend on what progress is being made,” Ushakov added.2) Republicans averted an upset in a Tennessee-based US House race Tuesday, a relief to President Trump and his congressional allies. Matt Van Epps, the Trump-backed Republican candidate, was projected to win by the AP, NBC News and Decision Desk HQ, an election analysis website. Trump praised the GOP victory in a social media post and Van Epps declared victory. Yet even in victory, voters in a district Trump won overwhelmingly just over a year ago swung away from Republicans, the latest data point in a trend that is raising alarm about the GOP’s prospects in next year’s midterm elections, as Van Epps’ victory came about only after Republicans surged resources and expended political capital in a strident GOP district that would typically be considered safe.3) President Trump said he plans to announce his selection to lead the Federal Reserve in early 2026 and teased National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett as his possible choice on Tuesday, fueling further speculation about the next leader of the US central bank. Hassett is seen as the likely choice to succeed Powell, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News last week, and Trump nodded to that position at a separate event shortly after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Trump’s comments offer a clearer timeline for the announcement. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who has been overseeing the selection process, previously said the pick could be revealed around Christmas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) US envoy Steve Witkoff is traveling to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin, who claimed a key Ukrainian city had fallen to Russia on the eve of talks about a potential peace plan to end his war. Putin said Russian troops had taken the city of Pokrovsk in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region in a video announcement posted late Monday by the Kremlin, an advance that would be Russia’s most significant on the battlefield in nearly two years. Ukraine’s Military Staff spokesman Bohdan Senyk denied its forces had lost the city in a message early Tuesday. Bloomberg isn’t able to independently verify the claims of either side. Witkoff is due to hold talks with Putin on Tuesday on the latest proposals for ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine following negotiations between US and Ukrainian officials in Florida. Amid fears in Europe that the plan risks rewarding Russian aggression by forcing Kyiv into a deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the latest version “looks better” during a visit to Paris on Monday to meet with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.2) The White House defended the Pentagon’s handling of a September attack on an alleged drug-running boat and denied that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had given an order to kill everyone on the vessel, rebutting a report that had led to allegations of possible war crimes. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed there were two strikes on the vessel in the Sept. 2 attack but stressed the actions were lawful amid a deadly domestic opioid crisis in the US. The comments signaled Trump continues to support Hegseth, who came under fresh scrutiny after the Washington Post reported Friday that he ordered the attack and demanded that those strikes kill everyone on board. That report led to accusations that the US military was committing war crimes in the waters off the coast of South America.3) Almost $1 billion of leveraged crypto positions were liquidated during another sharp drop in prices on Monday that brought fresh momentum to a wide-ranging selloff. Bitcoin slid as much as 8% to $83,824 in New York, bringing its decline since early October to almost 30%. Ether dropped as much as 10% to as low as $2,719, and is down 36% over the past seven weeks. The market downturn has been even tougher on smaller, less liquid tokens that traders often gravitate toward because of their higher volatility and typical outperformance during rallies. A MarketVector index tracking the bottom half of the largest 100 digital assets is down almost 70% this year. The crypto market is on shaky ground after a weeks-long selloff that began when some $19 billion in levered bets were wiped out in early October as President Trump whipsawed markets with threats of higher tariffs, data compiled by tracker Coinglass show. That was just days after Bitcoin set an all-time high of $126,251.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) US and Ukrainian negotiators said they had productive discussions about a framework for a peace deal, but there was no final breakthrough as President Trump continues to push for a truce with Russia. “There’s more work to be done,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in Florida after meeting for at least four hours with Ukrainian officials led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov. “This is delicate. It’s complicated.” The meeting, which took place in Hallandale Beach, Florida, with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner also in attendance, was likely the last chance for Ukraine’s negotiators to sway Witkoff before he leads a US delegation for talks in Russia this week. The two sides discussed potential parameters for a ceasefire as they pored over a 19-point proposal that emerged in Geneva last week — as well as the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the biggest in Europe, according to people familiar with the discussions. 2) US authorities believe the man suspected of fatally shooting a National Guard member and seriously wounding another in Washington, DC, was radicalized while in the US, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. Asked on NBC’s Meet the Press about the suspect’s motive, Noem said investigators are still collecting information and talking to his contacts. Federal authorities have identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who worked with US forces and the CIA in Afghanistan before arriving in the US in 2021. He was subdued and taken into custody shortly after the shooting on a street a few blocks from the White House on Wednesday.3) President Trump said Sunday he has decided on his pick for the next Federal Reserve chair after making clear he expects his nominee to deliver interest-rate cuts. Trump has frequently excoriated current Fed chief Jerome Powell for failing to lower rates swiftly and signaled he wants a chair who will more forcefully pursue cuts. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News last week that White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Trump’s chief economic adviser, is seen as the likely choice to succeed Powell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to earnings from Crowdstrike, Snowflake, and Salesforce. In the UK – a look ahead to the seventh Milken Institute Middle East and Africa Summit. In Asia – a look ahead to whether Asia's Labubu toy has hit its peak. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) One member of the West Virginia National Guard who was shot in the attack near the White House in Washington, DC, died after being in critical condition, President Trump said Thursday. US Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, originally from Webster Springs, West Virginia, died after being shot Wednesday. US Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, remains in critical condition. Federal authorities have identified the suspected shooter as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan national who previously worked with US forces and the CIA in Afghanistan before arriving in the US in 2021. He was subdued shortly after the shooting and taken into custody. Trump said he is in serious condition.2) President Trump called for “reverse migration” in the US as he outlined a series of potential measures to crack down on immigration, including halting admissions from unspecified developing nations and revoking citizenship from some naturalized migrants. In a pair of Truth Social posts late Thursday that disparaged many US immigrants, Trump said he would “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries” and “denaturalize migrants who undermine domestic tranquility.” Trump offered no details on how he would implement these policies or what he considers a “third world” country, an ill-defined and often offensive term for developing nations. Congress for years has failed to pass major immigration reforms, and courts have blocked some of his previous executive orders limiting immigration.3) Washington's proposals for ending the war in Ukraine could be the basis for future agreements, but no final version exists yet, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, while signaling an openness to talks. The Kremlin confirmed on Wednesday that US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to visit Moscow next week and meet with Putin, as President Trump continues his push for a resolution to Moscow’s nearly four-year-old invasion of Ukraine. Trump on Tuesday said there was “tremendous progress” made over the past week on his peace proposal, the original draft of which drew the ire of Ukrainians and Europeans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this special Thanksgiving edition of Bloomberg Daybreak, host Nathan Hager speaks with: Poonam Goyal and Lindsay Dutch of Bloomberg Intelligence look ahead to Black Friday and what we can expect in the retail space. Scott Martin, Chief Investment Officer of Kingsview Wealth Management, looks ahead to what 2026 will bring for market volatility Mike McGlone, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Commodity Strategist, discusses the recent bitcoin crash and looks ahead to crypto in the new year. Jen Rie, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Litigation Analyst, updates on the latest antirust battles facing high tech See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.2) White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett is seen by advisers and allies of President Donald Trump as the frontrunner to be the next Federal Reserve chair, according to people familiar with the matter, as the search for a new central bank leader enters its final weeks.3) Stocks climbed as elevated expectations for US interest-rate cuts helped sustain traders’ newfound optimism into the Thanksgiving holiday. The S&P 500 was set to extend a three-day, 3.5% rally marked by broad gains across sectors. Alphabet Inc. rose 1.5% in premarket trading after three straight closes at all-time highs. The US benchmark also drew technical support as it moved back above its 50-day moving average. The dollar headed for back-to-back losses, while Treasuries eased.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) US President Donald Trump held back-to-back calls with the leaders of China and Japan, as escalating tensions over Taiwan threaten to derail his weeks-old trade truce with Beijing. Trump’s hour-long conversation with President Xi Jinping on Monday marked their first contact since Japan’s new prime minister enraged Beijing by suggesting her nation’s troops could be drawn into a Taiwan crisis. Xi told his US counterpart Taiwan’s return to China was an “integral part of the postwar international order,” in a call the Chinese Foreign Ministry later said was “initiated by the US.”2) A US official is in Abu Dhabi for meetings with a Russian delegation as President Donald Trump cited progress on his peace proposal and Moscow and Ukraine carried out airstrikes overnight.3) Nvidia shares fell on a report that Meta is in talks to spend billions on Google’s AI chips, suggesting the internet search leader is making headway in efforts to rival the industry’s bestselling AI accelerator. Meta is in discussions to use the Google chips — known as tensor processing units, or TPUs — in data centers in 2027, The Information reported, citing an unidentified person familiar with the talks. Meta also may rent chips from Google’s cloud division next year, the news outlet said.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Ukrainian and US negotiators prepared an “updated and refined framework document on peace,” according to a top aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as Kyiv sought more favorable terms from a proposal backed by Donald Trump. 2) Global stocks advanced after a late Wall Street comeback on Friday as investors prepare for a week of key economic data amid rising expectations for a December US interest-rate cut.3) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration is working on bringing down US health-care costs and an announcement to address the issue is planned for this week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI is rising on the agendas of global CEOs, according to the latest edition of the CEO Radar. But a surprising number of chief executives are still struggling to embed the technology into their businesses. On this episode of the CEO Radar Podcast, Edward Adams of Bloomberg Media Studios is joined by BCG Global Chair Rich Lesser and Vlad Lukić, BCG Global Leader of Tech and Digital Advantage, to explore how CEOs can compare themselves to their peers when it comes to corporate integration of AI. This episode is sponsored by BCG.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager takes a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to earnings from Dell, Kohl’s Abercrombie & Finch, and retail ahead of the holiday season. In the UK – a look ahead to the UK's highly anticipated autumn budget. In Asia – a look ahead to China PMI data. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Global stocks are poised for their worst week in seven months as concerns over lofty valuations and whether massive investments in artificial intelligence will pay off prompt investors to retreat from riskier assets. The MSCI All Country World Index has slumped 3.1% this week, putting it on track for its sharpest weekly drop since April 4, when President Trump’s tariffs rattled markets. Bitcoin fell below $84,000, extending its drop from an all-time high less than seven weeks ago to more than 30%. European and Asian shares were also set for their biggest weekly decline since April after Wall Street’s Thursday selloff. Sentiment remained fragile for US assets, with S&P 500 futures fluctuating after the benchmark slipped to its weakest level since September.2) Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson said she’s approaching next month’s rate-setting meeting with caution, though she remains more concerned about weaknesses in the job market. “Each rate cut brings us closer to the level where policy flips from restraining activity a bit to the place where it is providing a boost. So, I am approaching the December FOMC cautiously,” Paulson said Thursday, referring to next month’s gathering of the Federal Open Market Committee. “Each rate cut raises the bar for the next cut.” Deep divisions have emerged among policymakers after they lowered rates at two consecutive meetings. Some remain concerned more by weakness in the labor market while others have expressed growing worry over inflation. The lack of official data during the long government shutdown has also blurred policymakers’ view of the economy.3) President Trump and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani are set to meet at the White House on Friday, the president said in a social media post. The meeting marks the first time the two leaders will come together to discuss how they can work with each other since the election earlier this month. Mamdani was elected as mayor of New York City after campaigning on a progressive platform that includes freezing the rent on more than 1 million stabilized apartments, providing universal child care, funding free buses and operating city-owned grocery stores. Mamdani, a democratic socialist, is seeking higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy to pay for his agenda.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Nvidia Corp. delivered a surprisingly strong revenue forecast and pushed back on the idea that the AI industry is in a bubble, easing concerns that had spread across the tech sector. The world’s most valuable company expects sales of about $65 billion in the January quarter — roughly $3 billion more than analysts predicted. Nvidia also said that a half-trillion-dollar revenue bonanza due in coming quarters may be even bigger than anticipated. The outlook signals that demand remains robust for Nvidia’s artificial intelligence accelerators, the pricey and powerful chips used to develop AI models. Nvidia had faced growing fears in recent weeks that the runaway spending on such equipment wasn’t sustainable. Nvidia results have become a barometer for the health of the AI industry, and the news lifted a variety of related stocks.2) Bond investors are zeroing in on Thursday’s US labor market report, which is expected to either kill or rekindle waning expectations for a Federal Reserve interest-rate cut next month. The September payrolls report, due at 8:30 a.m. New York time after a delay caused by the government shutdown, will be the only official major jobs data published before Fed policymakers meet for the final time this year. A report showing a resilient employment situation could undercut the case for more rate cuts and dash hopes of a further rally in the $30 trillion US Treasuries market. A soft reading, on the other hand, could revive bets on a third consecutive quarter-point cut at the Dec. 10 meeting and boost a market that’s already headed for its best year since 2020. Odds of a December cut assigned by the market have steadily slipped in recent weeks as some policymakers pushed back against further easing while inflation continues to run above the Fed’s 2% target.3) President Trump has signed legislation to compel the Department of Justice to release files on the late, disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said in a social media post that he signed the legislation Wednesday, approving a measure he had spent months trying to block in a fight that inflamed tensions in his own party and threatened to undermine his agenda. The president’s signature marked a stunning about-face for Trump, who had assailed the effort to require the release of the government’s files on Epstein — a convicted sex offender, who was facing federal charges of trafficking underage girls when he died in jail in 2019. It followed a lopsided 427 to 1 vote in the House — where a lone Republican lawmaker provided the only no vote — and the Senate agreeing unanimously to send the measure to the president’s desk.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, gave a strong revenue forecast for the current period, helping counter concern that a global surge in AI spending is poised to fizzle. Sales will be about $65 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter, which runs through January, the chipmaker said in a statement Wednesday. Analysts had estimated $62 billion on average, with some predictions ranging as high as $75 billion. The outlook signals that demand remains strong for Nvidia’s artificial intelligence accelerators, the pricey and powerful chips used to develop AI models. Nvidia has faced growing fears that the runaway spending on such equipment isn’t sustainable. Nvidia shares gained about 4% in late trading after the report was released. They had been up 39% this year through the close.For instant reaction and analysis, Bloomberg Businessweek Daily hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec speak with: Jay Goldberg, Senior Analyst, Semiconductors & Electronics with Seaport Research Partners Bloomberg Tech Co-Host Ed Ludlow Bloomberg News Big Tech Team Leader Sarah Frier See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump’s firm control of Washington showed signs of weakening Tuesday as Congress voted to compel the Justice Department to release its files on sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, whose earlier ties to the president have been the subject of intense scrutiny. The legislation overwhelmingly passed the House in a 427 to 1 vote. Within hours, the Senate agreed unanimously that the bill would be passed without further action once it arrives in the Senate. It will then be sent to Trump, who has said he’ll sign it. Trump late Sunday relented on his prior opposition and directed Republicans to vote to release the files. Senate Republicans ignored calls by Speaker Mike Johnson to give the Justice Department additional leeway to withhold documents. 2) President Trump said he would formally designate Saudi Arabia as a major non-NATO ally in a further strengthening of ties between the two countries, capping a day of dealmaking between the US leader and the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The designation for nations with close strategic relationships with the US provides financing and priority access for purchases of certain military equipment, as well as the ability to participate in joint research efforts. Saudi Arabia will become the 20th ally designated under the status, joining other nations in the Middle East including Egypt, Israel, and Qatar. MBS, as Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader is known, was joined by prominent executives and celebrities including Elon Musk and soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo at the Tuesday evening event, with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino also in attendance.3) Wall Street will get a sense of where the billions of dollars being spent on artificial intelligence are going when Nvidia reports its earnings after the bell on Wednesday. Analysts expect the chip behemoth to show more than 50% growth in both net income and revenue in its fiscal third quarter. The reason is fairly straightforward. Microsoft Corp., Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc. — which taken together represent more than 40% of Nvidia’s sales — are projected to increase their combined AI spending by 34% over the next 12 months to $440 billion, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The risk is that these numbers could become unreliable if the big AI spenders, in particular closely held OpenAI, have to pull back on their commitments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Global markets extended a broad selloff, with US stock futures signaling a fourth day of losses and Bitcoin briefly slipping below $90,000 as traders pulled away from speculative assets. S&P 500 futures fell 0.3% after the benchmark closed below its 50-day moving average in the previous session, a sign of scope for further losses. Bitcoin slid more than 1%. European stocks declined for a fourth day. Stock gauges across Asia were in the red, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 posting its worst day since April. Bonds were the biggest beneficiaries as investors sought havens, with the yield on 10-year US Treasuries dropping four basis points to 4.10%. The dollar held steady as gold fell closer to $4,000 an ounce. The cross-asset moves underscored continued unease over interest rates and tech earnings, with Nvidia Corp.’s report on Wednesday poised to test investor nerves over lofty valuations in the artificial-intelligence sector. Focus will then turn to the delayed September jobs report due Thursday, a key gauge for the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook.2) Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller repeated his view that the central bank should again lower interest rates when policymakers meet in December, citing a weak labor market and monetary policy that is hurting low- and middle-income consumers. In a speech titled ‘The Case for Continuing Rate Cuts’ delivered in London, Waller said another rate cut would represent good “risk management” by the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee. He said he isn’t concerned about inflation accelerating or inflation expectations rising significantly given clear signs of softening demand for workers.3) Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will likely be greeted with great fanfare by President Trump during his visit to the White House on Tuesday. The crown prince hopes to secure an executive order from Trump to bolster Saudi Arabia’s security and potentially pave the way for a stronger defense treaty. The two are also expected to reach an agreement that would allow the kingdom to purchase F-35 stealth planes, despite Israel wanting to keep a monopoly on access. Discussions on the future of Gaza and the thorny issue of relations with Israel are on the agenda as well. There also remains tension over access to AI chips and nuclear technology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) The Justice Department would have to publicly release unclassified records relating to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein under a House proposal set for a vote this week. On Sunday, President Trump said House Republicans should vote to require the DOJ to release the files, effectively reversing a position he’d held for months. Trump has been under increasing pressure from some within his party to release the investigative materials on the disgraced financier, who ran an underage sex ring and died in prison in 2019. A congressional committee last week released some 20,000 pages of emails and other documents, pivoting attention away from the fight over the government shutdown and forcing the White House to respond.2) US airlines will be able to resume normal operations starting Monday after more than a week of government-mandated flight reductions. The US Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration announced late Sunday they would lift cuts across 40 major US airports that were imposed during the government shutdown, starting from 6 a.m. Monday New York time. On Friday, officials earlier eased up on flight reductions, capping them at 3% from 6%. The cuts first went into effect on November 7th at a rate of 4% and were supposed to slowly increase to 10% by November 14th. However, the government froze the rate at 6% Wednesday, shortly before President Trump signed legislation to end the longest federal closure in US history. 3) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said President Trump’s proposal to send $2,000 “dividend” payments from tariffs to US citizens would require congressional approval. Trump, who has touted the billions raised in US tariff revenue this year, has talked about the checks as public frustration mounts over the cost of living. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Friday, Trump said the checks would go out sometime next year to “everybody but the rich.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to earnings from Nvidia, Walmart, and Target. In the UK – a look ahead to the European Business Summit. In Asia – a look ahead to Japan’s upcoming GDP report. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump is readying substantial tariff cuts designed to address high food prices and a series of new trade deals — including framework agreements with Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador and Ecuador — as he seeks to address voter concerns over the cost of goods. The push comes after electoral victories for Democrats last week across a number of key state and local races where candidates stressed affordability concerns. Trade deals with Latin American countries unveiled Thursday will see the US reduce tariffs and barriers on common grocery items like beef, bananas, and coffee beans in a push to lower grocery bills that have for years frustrated Americans. Separately, Trump and other senior administration officials have previewed broader tariff exemptions that could cut levies on popular food products across the board. In interviews earlier this week on Fox News, Trump pledged to “lower some tariffs” on coffee while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested fruit imports would receive a break.2) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced $10,000 bonus checks for Transportation Security Administration officers who worked without pay during the six-week government shutdown, calling the payments a reward for “exemplary service” under strain. Speaking at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Thursday, Noem said the move would help employees who took extra shifts to keep security lines moving as paychecks stopped. The shutdown, the longest in US history, shuttered large parts of the federal government for 43 days and left more than 800,000 workers without pay. Aviation was among the hardest-hit sectors: the Federal Aviation Administration cut flight capacity by 10% at major airports as air-traffic controller shortages mounted, and more than 9,000 flights were canceled nationwide. While Congress passed a funding measure late Wednesday, officials said it could take days to restore normal operations and clear payroll backlogs.3) Traders slashed the odds of a December US rate cut to below 50% after a string of Fed officials voiced skepticism about the need for a third straight move, citing the economy’s resilience and lingering uncertainty over inflation after the US shutdown. The question remains how the majority of policymakers are leaning, with several still uneasy about signs of labor-market weakness. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said he didn’t support the US central bank’s last interest-rate cut, though he’s still undecided on the best course of action for its December policy meeting. Meantime, San Francisco Fed chief Mary Daly said it’s premature to decide whether policymakers should lower interest rates next month.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump signed legislation to end the longest government shutdown in US history, marking the official conclusion to a 43-day impasse that halted food aid to millions of households, canceled thousands of flights and forced federal workers to go unpaid for more than a month. Trump’s signature means the government can begin to resume normal operations, with federal workers expected back on the job starting Thursday. However it could still take days, or even weeks, for the federal bureaucracy to fully restart and dig out of the backlog after being closed since October 1st. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters Wednesday he anticipated it could take as long as a week to start lifting flight restrictions at major airports.2) Democrats have returned to pressing President Trump on his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, highlighting a selection of emails in which the late financier and convicted sex trafficker suggested the president knew of his activities. A congressional committee on Wednesday released some 20,000 pages of documents, pivoting attention away from the ongoing government shutdown and forcing the White House to respond to an issue that has frustrated the president and drawn scrutiny from parts of his base. The new information came the same day that a new House lawmaker was officially sworn into office. Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, immediately signed a petition forcing a vote on legislation to compel the Justice Department to release files on Epstein.3) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy implored European Union allies to overcome their divisions on the use of frozen Russian assets, saying fresh funding is critical for his war-battered economy to stay in the fight against Moscow. The EU has postponed until December a decision on tapping the Russian state assets to provide €140 billion ($162 billion) in loans to Ukraine, which needs new funding by early next year. Russia’s invasion has dragged well into its fourth year as Zelenskiy’s government deals with a battered economy and exhausted fighting forces in Europe’s worst conflict since World War II. With US funding halted, European governments have vowed to step up assistance to fend off a new threat from the Kremlin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) The US House of Representatives will be back at work Wednesday for the first time in 53 days to vote on a bill that would end the longest government shutdown record. The legislation would relieve the sharpest pain points, including delayed SNAP benefits, air travel chaos and government worker furloughs. But it won’t address the main trigger for the shutdown: the expiration of Obamacare premium subsidies that prompted Democrats to block a government funding bill in the first place. The small group of centrist Democrats who broke ranks with their party to end the shutdown won a promise from Senate Majority Leader John Thune that he’ll allow a vote on extending the subsidies - but no guarantees are in place. While some moderate Senate Republicans want to see the subsidies extended with conditions, like an income cap or minimum monthly payment, leading GOP voices on health-care policy are starting to pitch on alternative plans.2) President Trump will host financial industry executives for dinner Wednesday at the White House, according to two officials familiar with the plans, the latest effort by the administration to bring the country’s business elite behind his policies. JPMorgan Chase & Co. CEO Jamie Dimon is among the attendees, one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to detail the president’s plans. Nasdaq’s Adena Friedman was also among the chief executive officers invited, along with Goldman Sachs Group’s David Solomon, BlackRock’s Larry Fink and Morgan Stanley’s Ted Pick, according to people briefed on the event. The dinner comes as Trump faces rising political pressure on the economy and affordability — issues that anchored Democratic electoral wins in New Jersey and Virginia last week.3) Advanced Micro Devices - Nvidia's closest rival in AI chips - predicts accelerating sales growth over the next five years, driven by strong demand for its data center products. Annual revenue growth will average more than 35% over the next three to five years, Chief Executive Officer Lisa Su said Tuesday at a company event in New York. AMD’s AI data center revenue will increase by an average of 80% over the same period, she said. The stock rallied in extended trading Tuesday after executives also said adjusted profit will reach more than $20 a share and operating margin will exceed 35% in that time frame. AMD updated investors on its long-term outlook amid increasing concern that the massive spending on new computer systems for artificial intelligence work can’t continue at the current elevated levels.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) A record-setting 41-day US government shutdown is on a path to end as soon as Wednesday after the Senate passed a temporary funding measure backed by a group of eight centrist Democrats. The Senate’s 60-40 vote Monday comes amid escalating flight disruptions, food aid delays and frustrations in a federal workforce that has mostly gone without pay for more than a month. The Republican-controlled House must still approve the spending package, which keeps most of the government open through Jan. 30 and some agencies through Sept. 30. But Speaker Mike Johnson said he expects it will pass quickly.2) Air travel disruptions mounted across the US as lawmakers pushed to end the federal government shutdown, with an air traffic controllers’ union warning of “the erosion of safety” as the critical workers missed their second-straight full paycheck. Almost 2,100 flights were canceled as of 6:15 p.m. in New York on Monday, according to data compiled by aviation analytics firm Cirium. That’s about 8.2% of the day’s 25,735 scheduled flights. Chicago O’Hare International Airport had the most cancellations, with nearly 25% of its scheduled flights scrapped. Over 16% of services in and out of Boston Logan Airport were scrubbed, as were 15% of trips at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport. The growing fallout stems from the Federal Aviation Administration’s directive to reduce flight capacity by 10% at the roughly 40 busiest US airports, a bid to alleviate what US aviation officials have said are signs of strain in the nation’s airspace system.3) President Trump said he “at some point” would reduce the tariff rate on Indian goods, saying the US was getting “pretty close” to a trade deal with New Delhi. The comments were the latest signal of a possible thaw in the trade dispute that has soured the relationship between Washington and New Delhi. Earlier this year, Trump slapped additional tariffs on India’s exports to the US in part to pressure New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil, raising the rates on many Indian goods to 50%. That added tensions to an already contentious negotiation over what the US has cast as India’s high levies and other barriers on American goods.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Democrats entered the shutdown seeking to renew tax credits to stave off insurance premium price hikes and to show voters they have the stomach for hardball negotiations in President Trump’s Washington. As the record-long shutdown neared its end more than a month later, they failed to achieve either. A group of eight Democrats on Sunday broke with the rest of their party — including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer — to vote with Republicans to advance a bill to re-open the government on the impasse’s 40th day. That plan doesn’t include the extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies that Democrats staked their shutdown fight on. They did get a pledge for a separate vote on the health-care tax credits in the coming weeks, but the prospects of Democrats landing a win from that endeavor are far from certain.2) More than 10,000 flights in the US were delayed or canceled on Sunday as snowy weather in Chicago added to the stress for airlines coping with a third day of US government-mandated restrictions on air travel. The bottlenecks were worst at New York’s airports, where federal officials imposed ground stops and ground delays to meter traffic. At LaGuardia Airport, more than half of departures were delayed, compared with 36% at Newark Liberty International Airport and 32% at John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to FlightAware. By late afternoon, 8,100 flights were delayed and 2,300 were canceled nationwide. Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport also faced hundreds of delays and cancellations as a winter storm threatened the airport, a major hub for United Airlines Inc. and American Airlines. About 190 flights were canceled at Delta Air Lines Inc.’s home base at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.3) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said President Trump’s suggestion that Americans may receive a tariff “dividend” of at least $2,000 could come via the tax cuts passed in his signature economic policy bill earlier this year. Bessent was asked on ABC’s This Week about a social media post by Trump earlier Sunday that derided people who oppose tariffs and said a “dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.” Trump has been stepping up his defense of his tariffs regime since the Supreme Court on Nov. 5 heard arguments for a suit to get them thrown out. Several justices seemed skeptical, raising the possibility many of the levies could be overturned, forcing more than $100 billion in refunds and taking away a centerpiece of his second term.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to earnings from Walt Disney and Paramount-Skydance. In the UK – a look ahead to Portugal’s Web Summit. In Asia – a look ahead to China Singles’ day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Airlines across the US have started canceling flights scheduled for the coming days, as the longest government shutdown in history upends air travel and leaves thousands of passengers scrambling to firm up plans. With about 700 Friday flights already canceled by the four largest airlines, the world’s busiest aviation market has become a flashpoint in the long-simmering clash between Republicans and Democrats over federal funding as President Trump ramps up pressure to forge a deal. The Republican-led administration has said the reductions are necessary to keep flying safe amid staffing shortages brought on by the shutdown. At least one top congressional Democrat has called for more transparency to ensure the move isn’t politically motivated.2) Tesla Inc. shareholders approved a $1 trillion compensation package for Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, the largest payout ever awarded to a corporate leader. More than 75% of the votes cast were in favor of the unprecedented pay plan, the company said Thursday at its annual meeting. The outcome caps a weekslong campaign by the electric vehicle maker’s board, its CEO and prominent retail investors to build support. The pay agreement clears a path for Musk, the world’s richest person, to become the first-ever trillionaire and expand his stake in Tesla to 25% or more over the next decade. To achieve the full payout, he’ll have to deliver on targets to significantly expand Tesla’s market value, revive its flagging car business and get the fledgling robotaxi and Optimus robotics efforts off the ground.3) China’s exports unexpectedly contracted in October as global demand failed to offset the deepening slump in shipments to the US, dealing a blow to an economy already slowing amid sluggish consumer spending and investment at home. Exports fell for the first time in eight months, dropping 1.1% from a year earlier, according to official data released Friday. Shipments to all nations except the US rose 3.1%, not enough to compensate for the more than 25% decline to America. Chinese exports have been resilient until now, as other destinations made up for drops in shipments across the Pacific Ocean. Sales abroad had grown every month since February, when activity slowed because of the Lunar New Year holiday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) The US will cut flight capacity by 10% at 40 high-volume markets across the country, though international routes will be spared, to alleviate pressure on air traffic controllers and the aviation system during what is now the longest government shutdown in history. The changes will start Friday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during a press briefing alongside the leader of the Federal Aviation Administration, Bryan Bedford. The agency plans to release the markets impacted on Thursday. The reductions are expected to be staggered, with US carriers informed Wednesday night that they should plan to cut flight volumes by 4% on Friday and 5% on Saturday, according to people familiar with the matter.2) The US government shutdown has become the longest in history, and with no sign of a resolution soon its economic toll is deepening. Now in its 37th day, the shutdown has surpassed the previous record set in early 2019 during President Trump’s first term. Every week that passes costs the economy anywhere from $10 billion to $30 billion, based on analysts’ estimates, with several landing in the $15 billion range. Senate Democrats, bolstered by big election wins for their party Tuesday, are doubling down on demands for Republicans to negotiate extending Obamacare premium tax credits, or see the government shutdown drag on.3) Zohran Mamdani clinched New York City’s mayoral race by campaigning against wealth inequality and promoting affordability. Now, he faces the challenge of delivering on the promises that got him elected while coming to the table with the city’s wealthiest residents, who have an outsized influence on the city’s politics, economy and revenue. At least one early Mamdani appointment shows that he is intent on taking a progressive approach toward business and economics. The mayor-elect has tapped former Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan to his transition team, a figure who raised the ire of corporations and dealmakers with her tough stances on antitrust cases. But Mamdani also said on Wednesday that he looks forward to meeting with JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Jamie Dimon and other business leaders to discuss the city’s future, emphasizing the need for collaboration despite policy differences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Democrats swept the three major local elections in the US on Tuesday by wider-than-expected margins, giving the beleaguered party a much-needed boost 10 months into President Donald Trump’s second term. In New York, voters elected 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, as mayor after he deployed a social media-savvy campaign and joined up with two progressive icons, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Mamdani — who will be New York’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor when he takes office Jan. 1 — campaigned on making the global business hub more affordable by using higher taxes on the wealthy to pay for free buses and city-run grocery stores, overcoming many voters’ concerns about his pro-Palestinian views.2) Abigail Spanberger, a 46-year-old former CIA officer who left the House of Representatives after three terms in January, will be the first female governor in Virginia, a state that’s front-and-center in the battle over the government shutdown and efforts to trim the federal workforce. Likewise in New Jersey, Representative Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, won a race in which pocketbook concerns about utility bills, health care and schools were more central than culture war issues or government giveaways. About 6 in 10 voters in Virginia and New Jersey described themselves as “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the current state of the country, according to an exit poll conducted by the Associated Press, compared to just one-third who said they were “enthusiastic” or “satisfied.” Meanwhile, California voters passed a ballot measure that could flip as many as five congressional seats to Democrats from Republicans, handing Governor Gavin Newsom a major political victory in his fight against President Trump.3) The fate of the majority of President Trump’s tariffs is in the hands of the US Supreme Court after lower courts ruled that they were issued illegally under an emergency law. The tariffs have remained in place to allow the Trump administration to appeal to the highest court, which is scheduled to hear arguments today. The Supreme Court case doesn’t touch upon the duties imposed on certain product categories using different legal foundations. For example, the Trump administration has put in place levies on steel, aluminum, automobiles, copper products and lumber by harnessing Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act. Those tariffs depend on Commerce Department investigations that concluded that imports of such products pose a national security risk.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Zohran Mamdani’s lead heading into the New York City mayoral election has withstood a furious push from Republicans, establishment Democrats and a coalition of Wall Street dealmakers. Aspects of Mamdani’s campaign that some thought would doom his candidacy — his vociferous criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, his past calls to defund the police and his refusal to flee from the political label of socialist — haven’t turned off a plurality of New York voters, despite a torrent of campaign spending from some of the city’s wealthiest residents. Instead, the 34-year-old assemblyman’s campaign — with its focus on core economic concerns combined with an online charm offensive and occasional searing barb at his critics — is working well enough that some political observers see a model for future Democratic candidates and races. Nationally, Tuesday’s results could provide a muddled message for Democrats. 2) Governors’ races in Virginia and New Jersey and California’s redistricting ballot measure are among the elections on ballots Tuesday, providing a barometer of voter sentiment ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. While Mamdani’s progressive campaign has given him a lead in New York, the candidates leading the polls in governor’s races in New Jersey and Virginia — Representative Mikie Sherrill and former Representative Abigail Spanberger, respectively — come from the more centrist range of the Democratic spectrum. The race in New Jersey has tightened in the past few weeks between Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, as voters express dismay over high electricity bills and general affordability issues under the state’s current Democratic governor. Republicans would love to eke out a victory there — even as polls narrowly favor Sherrill — after President Donald Trump endorsed Ciattarelli and called him “100% (PLUS!)” on the MAGA agenda.In Virginia, Democratic Representative Abigail Spanberger looks likely to prevail over the Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears. The huge number of federal workers in Northern Virginia, frustrated by the government shutdown and the DOGE cuts, gave Spanberger a built-in constituency. And she’s made sure to talk about issues key to local voters — inflation, schools, health care — rather than solely going with an anti-Trump message. If Democrats lose one of these races, expect even more hand-wringing over the party’s tarnished national brand and its inability to capitalize on Trump’s unpopularity.3) As the government shutdown enters its 34th day, lawmakers face mounting pressure to reach a resolution. Major US airports are facing staffing shortages leading to ground delays, the distribution of food assistance is up in the air, and more federal workers are missing paychecks as the shutdown is on track to become the longest in history. Senators are increasingly optimistic about finding a path to reopen the government, but any resolution will likely have to wait until after tomorrow’s off-year elections, which could sway either side to move depending on the results.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump sat down with CBS' 60 Minutes - as heard on Bloomberg Radio - for a long-ranging discussion on the government shutdown, tariffs, and border security. Trump says immigration raids “haven’t gone far enough” despite videos showing physical confrontations among federal agents, immigrants and protesters. Trump also said that he could use the Insurrection Act to use professional military, instead of the National Guard, to US cities “if I wanted to.” The president’s comments come after his administration expanded a federal program that deputizes local police to enforce immigration laws, signing up nearly 16,000 officers across 40 states as part of an effort to boost deportations, according to data reviewed by Bloomberg News. 2) President Trump said he would skip attending the Supreme Court hearing this week over the legality of his worldwide tariffs regime. The court is scheduled on Wednesday to hear Trump’s appeal of a lower court’s ruling that many of his “Liberation Day” tariffs exceeded the president’s emergency power to regulate imports. Trump had said he felt an “obligation” to watch in person as the Supreme Court weighed his power to impose tariffs. If he had attended, he would have been the first sitting president in US history to attend oral arguments at the high court.3) The summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Trump was a breakthrough in bilateral relationship where the Asian giant was treated as an “equal partner” of the US, according to David Daokui Li, a regular policy adviser to Beijing. Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Monday, Li described a sense of enthusiasm among his peers in Beijing following the leaders’ meeting in South Korea last week. The exchange led to a one-year trade truce, although it didn’t address core differences between the world’s two largest economies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week In the US – a look at how earnings are impacting global markets In the UK – we preview the Bank of England rate decision In Asia – looking ahead to the RBA Decision and Chinese economic data See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast: 1) The mood in US stock markets has been lifted again by strong earnings from Apple and Amazon to round up the week of mega-cap results. Futures for both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 were higher after both indexes sunk on Thursday. Apple forecast a major surge in sales for the holiday season to provide assurance to investors that the iPhone remains a growth driver, while Amazon’s cloud division notched its best quarterly growth in almost three years. That’s smoothed out the setback in the big tech and AI narrative from the mixed reception to results from Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Alphabet. 2) Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang still hopes to sell chips from the company’s Blackwell lineup to customers in China, though he has no current plans to do so, he told reporters Friday. Blackwell is Nvidia’s latest generation of artificial intelligence semiconductors, figuring prominently as a potential bargaining chip in trade talks between the US and China. Licensing the sale of those products did not figure in the discussion between President Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping this week, with the US leader saying Nvidia and the Chinese government will have to keep talking about the $5 trillion company’s access to the Asian nation’s market. 3) President Trump called on Senate Republicans to vote to get rid of the filibuster in the upper chamber, amid a government shutdown that has lasted nearly a month. Because of the filibuster rule in the US Senate, most legislation needs 60 votes to pass. While a majority of lawmakers could revise those rules, both parties have largely resisted doing so to preserve their ability to shape legislation when outside of the majority. During the recent funding showdown, Democrats have refused to support a Republican bill offering stopgap funding unless the GOP agrees to extend healthcare subsidies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast: 1) President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to extend a tariff truce, roll back export controls and reduce other trade barriers in a landmark summit on Thursday, potentially stabilizing relations between the world’s biggest economies after months of turmoil. In the first sitdown between leaders since Trump’s return to the White House, the pair agreed China would pause sweeping controls on rare-earth magnets in exchange for what Beijing said was a US agreement to roll back an expansion of restrictions on Chinese companies. The US will also halve fentanyl-related tariffs on Chinese goods, while Beijing resumes purchases of soybeans and other agricultural products. The US is also extending a pause on some of its so-called reciprocal tariffs on China “for an additional year,” the Commerce Ministry in Beijing said in a statement, adding that China “will properly resolve issues related to TikTok with the US side.” Trump said he would visit China next April, with Xi planning to head to the US afterward. Despite speculation that Trump might make additional concessions — including the US opening access to Nvidia Corp.’s most advanced Blackwell line or changing its policy toward Taiwan — the president indicated that those issues hadn’t been part of the discussions. Trump and Xi did discuss access to some of the chipmaker’s other products, however, with the US president saying he planned to speak with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. 2) The largest technology companies are betting on an AI future powered by gigantic complexes of data centers filled with humming servers. Now that the staggering cost of this push is coming into sharper focus, it’s testing nerves on Wall Street. Three bellwethers from different corners of the technology world – Alphabet Inc., Meta Platforms Inc. and Microsoft Corp. — together racked up some $78 billion in capital expenditures last quarter. That’s up 89% from a year earlier. Most of that cash was destined for data center construction and graphics processing units and other gear to fill them. Each increased their forecasts for future outlays. That was enough to rattle investors conditioned to expect enormous spending. 3) Treasuries fell the most in nearly five months after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell cast doubt on a December interest-rate cut, even as a sagging labor market prompted policymakers to bring down borrowing costs Wednesday. While the central bank delivered a widely expected reduction in the benchmark lending rate to 3.75%-4%, Powell’s hawkish outlook ruffled the $30 trillion US bond market. At his afternoon press conference, Powell said a further reduction in rates at the December meeting “is not a foregone conclusion,” sending yields across tenors up by the most since June. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft Corp. reported a steeper climb in spending than Wall Street expected, fueling anxieties about the high costs of providing AI infrastructure. First-quarter capital expenditures including leases, an indication of data center spending, came in at $34.9 billion, up from $24 billion in the preceding quarter, the company said Wednesday. Microsoft continues “to increase our investments in AI across both capital and talent to meet the massive opportunity ahead,” Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella said in a statement. Total revenue increased 18% to $77.7 billion in the fiscal first quarter, while profit was $3.72 a share. Analysts on average estimated sales of $75.6 billion and per-share earnings of $3.68. The Azure cloud-computing unit posted a 39% revenue gain in the quarter when adjusting for currency fluctuations, beating the Wall Street estimate of 37%. Investor expectations for Microsoft were high heading into earnings, with all but one analyst tracked by Bloomberg rating the stock a buy. Meta Platforms said it expects total expenses to significantly increase in 2026, and will continue to invest at historic levels in artificial intelligence. The company also reported third-quarter net income of $2.71 billion, which included a one-time, non-cash income tax charge of $15.9 billion due to the implementation of the tax bill signed into law in July, Meta said in the statement. Without the accounting charge, Meta said net income would have increased 19% to $18.6 billion.Looking beyond the third-quarter, the company said it expects a “significant reduction” in US federal cash tax payments for 2025 and years to come due to the new law. Meta reported third-quarter sales of $51.2 billion, which beat analysts’ average estimate of $49.6 billion.For analysis of the tech earnings, Bloomberg Businessweek Daily spoke with Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Technology Analyst Anurag Rana and Ivan Feinseth, Research Director and Chief Investment Officer with Tigress Financial Partners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg's Tom Keene, Jonathan Ferro and Lisa Abramowicz discuss remarks from Fed Chair Jay Powell following the Federal Reserve's latest policy decision on a special edition of Bloomberg Surveillance. Treasuries extended losses after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said a December interest-rate cut was not set in stone, even after delivering a widely expected quarter-point reduction to prop up the labor market. The central bank reduced its benchmark lending rate to 3.75%-4% in its second straight cut — though two officials dissented. “A further reduction in the policy rate at the December meeting is not a foregone conclusion, far from it,” Powell said in the opening comments of his press conference. In their post-meeting statement, Fed policymakers on Wednesday repeated their assessment that “job gains have slowed” and said “risks to employment rose in recent months.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump said the US has a “special bond” with South Korea as he addressed a meeting of corporate leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Wednesday in Gyeongju. Trump’s visit to the conference comes as he’s looking to work through a series of outstanding issues in his trade deal with South Korea, and prepares for a high-stakes meeting on Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Meanwhile, Trump said he expects to lower tariffs the US has imposed on Chinese goods over the fentanyl crisis and speak with China’s Xi Jinping about Nvidia Corp.’s flagship Blackwell artificial intelligence chip, as leaders of the world’s biggest economies seek to ease tensions in a meeting on Thursday. Nvidia shares rallied in premarket trading on Wednesday, putting the stock on track to breach $5 trillion in market capitalization, making the semiconductor giant the first public company in history to hit the milestone.2) Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Cuba less than a day after it became the strongest recorded storm to strike Jamaica, where it left hundreds of thousands without power and forced hospitals to evacuate. Melissa crossed the coast in eastern Cuba as an “extremely dangerous” storm, the US National Hurricane Center said in a statement at about 3:10 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. As much as 25 inches (63 centimeters) of rain and storm surges up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) above normal are expected.3) Vice President JD Vance said Tuesday he expects the Trump administration to pay military personnel on Friday, even as the government shutdown shows no end in sight. The administration circumvented Congress and moved about $8 billion in research and development funds to cover the military’s payroll on Oct. 15. But Republicans have cautioned that they could not guarantee paychecks for troops if the shutdown persisted.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump hailed the US’s alliance with Japan, reaffirming ties with a longstanding partner and praising new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her plans to ratchet up defense spending as the pair met in Tokyo. Trump also offered optimism that the two sides had overcome their trade disputes. The pair later signed documents on trade and critical minerals intended to formalize some elements of a trade deal brokered under Takaichi’s predecessor, which includes a nebulous pledge for Japan to fund $550 billion in US projects. But documents from the White House on Tuesday suggested that the agreements remained ill-defined. The trade document simply “noted with satisfaction swift and continued efforts by both countries, and confirmed their strong commitment to implementing” their trade deal.2) Jamaican officials urged residents to brace for Hurricane Melissa as it tracked toward the island at Category 5 strength, packing intense rains and winds and threatening to cause widespread destruction. The storm’s winds are likely to cause “total structural failure,” the center said. That’s especially true for higher-elevation areas exposed to the brunt of the storm, where wind speeds could register as much as 30% stronger. If it maintains its strength, Melissa would be the first confirmed Category 5 storm — the highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale — to hit Jamaica.3) The Federal Reserve is expected to deliver a second straight interest-rate cut this week to support a wobbly job market. Any push to extend the easing cycle past October, however, may face renewed opposition from a group of officials who remain anxious over inflation. While the Fed’s dovish faction is, for now, winning the debate and securing lower rates, their rival camp of policymakers worry the cutting will go too far. Fresh data on consumer prices released Friday showed underlying inflation in the US rose in September at its slowest pace in three months. While that reaffirms the Fed’s plan to cut rates next week, the overall flat-lining of progress on cooling prices doesn’t bolster arguments for multiple additional cuts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) Top trade negotiators for the US and China said they came to terms on a range of contentious points, setting the table for leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to finalize a deal and ease trade tensions that have rattled global markets. After two days of talks in Malaysia wrapped up Sunday, a Chinese official said the two sides reached a preliminary consensus on topics including export controls, fentanyl and shipping levies. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking later in an interview with CBS News, said Trump’s threat of 100% tariffs on Chinese goods “is effectively off the table” and he expected the Asian nation to make “substantial” soybean purchases as well as offer a deferral on sweeping rare earth controls.2) President Trump said he didn’t anticipate meeting with Canada “for a while” as he continued to stew over a TV advertisement by the province of Ontario that criticized his tariff regime. Trump in recent days has said he was increasing the tariff on goods from Canada by 10% over the ad, which features excerpts of former US President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. Ontario Premier Doug Ford had said he would stop airing the ad after the weekend, but Trump has expressed frustration that the Canadian leader didn’t move to immediately pull the commercial, which has aired during US broadcasts of the World Series.3) As the US government shutdown stumbles toward the one-month mark, the effects of the standoff between Republicans and Democrats are being felt further away from the Capitol, as flights back up and food aid dwindles. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that travelers will face more flight delays and cancellations in the coming weeks as the continuing shutdown exacerbates the air-traffic controller staffing crunch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US – a look ahead to the next Fed meeting and earnings from U.S tech giants. In the UK – a look ahead to European defense earnings. In Asia – a look at top interviews from the APEC Finance Ministers' Meeting in South Korea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:1) President Trump is aiming for a quick win in a pivotal Thursday meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, even if the outcome falls short of the sweeping deal he’s teased on issues at the heart of the rivalry between the world’s two largest economies. Ahead of the sit-down, the US president said he wants to extend a pause on higher tariffs on Chinese goods in exchange for Xi resuming American soybean purchases, cracking down on fentanyl and backing off restrictions on rare-earth exports — all while maintaining some trade barriers he sees as essential.2) President Trump said he would immediately halt all trade negotiations with Canada, citing a Canadian advertisement against his signature tariffs plan featuring the voice of former President Ronald Reagan. The ad in question comprises excerpts from an address Reagan gave in 1987 in which he defended the principles of free trade and slammed tariffs as an outdated idea that stifles innovation, drives up prices and hurts US workers. Funded by the government of Ontario, the ad seeks to sow doubt among Republican voters by using one of the party’s most iconic voices. 3) Senate Democrats blocked a Republican measure aimed at paying military troops and some federal workers during the US government shutdown in the latest sign the spending deadlock shows no sign of ending. The vote on Thursday to advance the bill failed on a 54 to 45 vote, with 60 votes needed. Democrats have blocked a temporary spending measure 12 times in the Senate since, arguing that they cannot support it without new healthcare spending attached. Despite the ongoing shutdown, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release the long-delayed September CPI report on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.