Trumponomics

Great things can rise from the ashes of failed companies, so governments shouldn’t rescue firms that would otherwise go bust. That’s the thinking behind so-called creative destruction, but amid the unprecedented shock of the pandemic, does this economic theory apply, or is it too risky? On this week’s episode, Stephanie Flanders talks to Bloomberg Federal Reserve reporter Rich Miller and Eurozone economist Maeva Cousin about the contrasting economic policy approaches taken by the U.S. and Europe. The pandemic has also thrown up new challenges for gender equality, with women more likely to suffer financially, especially in hard-hit sectors like tourism and hospitality. Bloomberg economy reporter Yuko Takeo reports how the crisis is another obstacle for Japanese women fighting for greater representation in the workplace, and more power in the world’s third largest economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wuhan will forever be known as the place where Covid-19 and lockdowns began. But the Chinese city also might be the best place to learn how to restart the global economy. On this week’s episode, Stephanie Flanders talks to Sharon Chen, Bloomberg’s Beijing bureau chief, about the lessons we can learn from Wuhan’s efforts to get life—and business—back on track, and why it pays to be in the instant noodle business right now.Flanders also speaks with Bloomberg Economics’ Tom Orlik about his new book, “China: The Bubble that Never Pops.” From the financial system to real estate and banking, Western commentators always seem to be waiting for the world’s second-largest economy to blow up. So why hasn’t that happened yet? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19’s fracturing of supply chains has left businesses and governments questioning the prudence of networks that crisscross the planet. Pandemic recovery plans talk of developing “strategic autonomy” in key sectors, and suggest that executives should bring production closer to home. But on the ground, companies say it’s not so easy. Host Stephanie Flanders hears from Frankfurt-based Bloomberg reporter Piotr Skolimowski and a German pharmaceutical executive about why it’s so hard for Europe to extract itself from Chinese supply chains. She also speaks with World Trade Organization Chief Economist Robert Koopman and Renaissance Capital’s Global Chief Economist Charles Robertson on the future of global trade and investment. They discuss what trade might look like in a post-coronavirus world, whether so-called reshoring is actually a good idea, and why emerging market economies might ultimately benefit from Covid-19.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Neumann had a vision: to make his startup WeWork a wildly successful company that would change the world. He convinced thousands of other people -- customers, employees, investors -- that he could make that dream a reality. And for a while, he did. He was one of the most successful startup founders in the world. But then, in the span of just a few months, everything changed.Foundering is a new serialized podcast from the journalists at Bloomberg Technology. This season, we’ll tell you the story of WeWork, a company that captured the startup boom of the 2010s and also may be remembered as a spectacular bust that marked the end of an era.Catch the first two episodes of Foundering, now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s no exaggeration to say the coronavirus has upended the global economy in ways few could have imagined. It's been called a wake-up call for capitalism and a foreshadowing of our exceedingly precarious future, one with more catastrophes waiting in the wings. What if anything can governments and central banks do about it?Host Stephanie Flanders digs into this question with two famous economists, Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz and Nouriel Roubini, as part of the Bloomberg Invest Global virtual conference. From the possibility of a cold war between the U.S. and China to the impact of technology on employment, the fate of emerging markets and the end of globalization, they come to some pretty different conclusions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As protests against racial discrimination and police killings continue across the U.S., another injustice is ripping through American cities: Black-owned businesses are shutting down at an alarming rate. Host Stephanie Flanders talks with Atlanta-based Bloomberg reporter Michael Sasso on why twice as many Black entrepreneurs are being forced to close their doors amid the pandemic as compared with white business owners.Flanders also speaks with Bloomberg Economics’ Tom Orlik about how long the fallout from Covid-19 is likely to last. Is a rapid recovery possible? Or are we looking at a longer, more painful outlook for unemployment? We’ll hear why he thinks that almost one-third of the millions of jobs lost in the U.S. might not be coming back.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protests all across America following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, have put yet another spotlight on the deep inequality between black and white America. That disparity was also laid bare in last week’s jobs data, when a surprise drop in overall unemployment masked the fact that black joblessness has climbed to its highest level in more than a decade.Host Stephanie Flanders talks with economy reporter Matthew Boesler about what these inequities mean for policy setting at the Federal Reserve, and Jason Furman, a former economic advisor to President Barack Obama, gives his thoughts about what lies ahead for U.S. employment after Covid-19.Flanders also speaks with Bloomberg Economist Boingotlo Gasealahwe about the challenges facing African nations as they seek to fund post-pandemic recoveries. Without the backstop of cheap finance, they risk a protracted slump that could curtail development for decades.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Europe is emerging after weeks of lockdowns that kept shops and businesses shuttered, and residents safe at home. On this week’s episode, Bloomberg economy reporter Jeannette Neumann steps out onto the streets of Madrid to speak with restaurateurs and hoteliers. In a post-coronavirus world where travel is limited, outdoor dining mandatory and police decide how many tables are allowed, reopening a business brings new challenges to stay afloat.Host Stephanie Flanders also talks with Bloomberg Economics’ Johanna Jeansson about the very different pandemic strategy adopted by Sweden. When restrictions are voluntary and the government isn’t in charge, what does it means for the economy and public health?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19 is the biggest threat to our physical and economic health in recent times, but on this week’s episode, Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs takes a 70,000 year perspective on the global crisis, what it will mean for international relations and even a potentially better future.Stephanie Flanders also speaks to Bloomberg Opinion editor Ferdinando Giugliano about the European Union’s proposed recovery fund. He thinks this time will be different for fiscally strait-laced Germany, but for it to have lasting impact, the Italians will need to show they can spend it wisely.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s little debate that Covid-19 has crushed economies and triggered government rescue efforts not seen in modern times. On this week’s episode, World Bank Chief Economist Carmen Reinhart and fellow Harvard professor Kenneth Rogoff, authors of “This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly,” discuss what comes next with Bloomberg Economics executive editor Simon Kennedy.The depth of the U.S. recession isn’t the only way in which this time is different. While tens of millions are newly unemployed or working fewer hours, new pandemic-adjacent occupations are emerging. Host Stephanie Flanders talks with Bloomberg global business reporter Jeff Green about these new jobs, such as contract tracer and thermal scanner.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.