Viewsroom

Hot topics of 2024 will smoulder into new year

19 Dec 2024

Inflation in the United States, a struggling Chinese economy and Boeing’s existential challenges were among the stories that dominated this year. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists explain why these issues – among others – will keep cropping up in 2025.

French political stalemate threatens its economy

12 Dec 2024

The country is without a prime minister after Michel Barnier lost a no-confidence vote. That will make it hard to cut the large budget deficit. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists explain why a long crisis would deter foreign investors and damage France’s growth.

Drugmakers brace for US political side effects

5 Dec 2024

Donald Trump’s health agency nominee, Robert Kennedy, brings dangerous views on vaccines as well as skepticism about sky-high medicine prices. In this week’s Viewsroom, Breakingviews columnists discuss the impact on giants like Novo Nordisk and how other countries might react.

Gautam Adani is promise and peril of Indian growth

28 Nov 2024

With $31 bln of debt, deep links to the banking system and a star role in India’s energy transition, the tycoon’s empire is a crucial part of the fifth-largest economy. In this week’s Viewsroom, Breakingviews columnists discuss how US bribery charges will test those dependencies.

Gulf states wedge AI efforts between superpowers

21 Nov 2024

The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are building home-grown silicon smarts and forging links with the likes of Microsoft. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss how the region is muscling its way into a technology arms race between China and the US.

Trump trades will run into Trump reality

14 Nov 2024

The president-elect’s victory sparked wild euphoria in markets. Now comes the realization that tariffs and immigration crackdowns threaten major costs, including the return of inflation. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss the globe-spanning concerns.

Trump 2.0: taxes, tensions, tariffs, turbulence

7 Nov 2024

In a decisive comeback victory for his third White House run, Donald Trump notched gains across a wide set of voters and issues. In this week’s Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists debate the chaotic consequences now looming worldwide.

Robust banks impair pleas for lighter regulation

31 Oct 2024

Lenders on both sides of the Atlantic are doing relatively well, despite concerns over the effect of shifting rates. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists debate what is driving growth, and why CEOs are simultaneously bemoaning increased scrutiny from watchdogs.

UK budget is a tightrope walk over a black hole

24 Oct 2024

Finance Minister Rachel Reeves is due to set out tax and spending pledges while hemmed in by campaign promises and economic reality - even if debt rules are tweaked. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss the tall task of selling it to the public and markets.

China’s stock market bazooka is yet to fire

10 Oct 2024

The People’s Republic recently unveiled a raft of measures to solve a housing bust and support the market, producing a pop of post-vacation enthusiasm. That’s now waning as investors await a bigger move. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss what comes next.

Middle East turmoil edges closer to global economy

3 Oct 2024

Military escalation between Iran and Israel may at some point affect the price of oil. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists debate how the conflict may prompt a fresh inflationary headache for central banks – and how Saudi Arabia might offset that risk.

AI is a black hole of bits, chips and power

26 Sep 2024

OpenAI’s ChatGPT kicked off a race to develop ever-more-sophisticated artificial intelligence. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingvews columnists dissect the vast amount of data-crunching bots and power required to feed it, investments that could cost trillions of dollars.

Bank mega-M&A gets tantalisingly close in Europe

19 Sep 2024

UniCredit, the $68 bln Italian lender, grabbed a 9% stake in Germany’s $16 bln Commerzbank. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists argue that a full merger makes financial sense, but potentially not for unions or the under-fire government in Berlin.

Telegram and X expose tech platforms’ new reality

12 Sep 2024

The arrest of Pavel Durov, founder of the controversial messaging app, and the ban of X in Brazil shows state officials are not afraid to intervene in Big Tech. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists debate what it means and how CEOs should manage the threat.

Seven & i deal will test Japan’s financial renewal

5 Sep 2024

Couche-Tard’s takeover interest in the 7-Eleven owner is a pivotal moment for the country’s efficiency drive. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists explain why Tokyo ought to wait to see how the target reacts before opining, and how a deal could easily turn hostile.

Carmakers strain to navigate the next swerves

1 Aug 2024

After responding to the unexpected success of $720 bln Tesla, older manufacturers now face rising China exports amid slower EV growth. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss how GM, VW and others – including governments – are handling the nascent trade war.

China’s leaders pitch their tent in a rainstorm

25 Jul 2024

The five-yearly Communist Party meeting known as the Third Plenum is historically tied with economic policy shifts. Slowing growth and rising trade tensions make the timing apt. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss what the event means for China’s future.

Booze-free beverages are no small beer

11 Jul 2024

Carlsberg’s $4 bln deal to buy soft-drinks maker Britvic is just the latest foray by a big brewer into serving the alcohol-averse. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss whether it’s a seismic tobacco-like shift or a frothy attempt to fizz up profit margins.

UK elections herald return to tarnished stability

4 Jul 2024

Polls suggest voters will hand Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party a historic defeat. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss how a new government might pick up the pieces amid the legacy of a now-immutable Brexit and political turmoil engulfing global peers.

France raises ghosts of last euro zone crisis

27 Jun 2024

French voters will go to the polls this weekend for the first round of the parliamentary elections. In this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss why the country’s rising bond yields and the risks of contagion will be uncomfortably familiar for investors.