Deal of the Week

A few decades ago, nobody really questioned vaccines. They were viewed as a standard part of staying healthy and safe. Today, the number of people questioning vaccines risks prolonging a pandemic that has already killed hundreds of thousands of Americans. How we got to this moment didn’t start with the rollout of vaccines or in March 2020, or even with the election of Donald Trump. Our confidence in vaccines, often isn't even about vaccines. It’s about trust. And that trust has been eroding for a long time. Doubt, a new series from Bloomberg’s Prognosis podcast, looks at the forces that have been breaking down that trust. We'll trace the rise of vaccine skepticism in America to show how we got here — and where we’re going. Doubt launches on March 23. Subscribe to Prognosis today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The killers of Berta Caceres had every reason to believe they’d get away with murder. More than 100 other environmental activists in Honduras had been killed in the previous five years, yet almost no one had been punished for the crimes. Bloomberg’s Blood River follows a four-year quest to find her killers – a twisting trail that leads into the country’s circles of power.Blood River is out now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this new show from Bloomberg, hosts Mike Regan and Sarah Ponczek speak with expert guests each week about the main themes influencing global markets. They explore everything from stocks to bonds to currencies and commodities, and how each asset class affects trading in the others. Whether you’re a financial professional or just a curious retirement saver, What Goes Up keeps you apprised of the latest buzz on Wall Street and what the wildest movements in markets will mean for your investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this new show from Bloomberg, hosts Francesca Levy and Rebecca Greenfield navigate the productivity industry by way of their own experiences. In each episode, one of the two becomes a human guinea pig as she tries to solve a specific work-related problem. Using the advice of so-called productivity experts, the duo tackles obstacles like ineffective to-do lists, overflowing inboxes and unruly meetings. Follow along with their attempts, insights and missteps, and maybe find a solution that will work for you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode of Deal of the Week, Ed Hammond is joined by Bloomberg Gadfly columnist Brooke Sutherland and Ian King to talk about the fallout from the US government’s unexpected decision to review Broadcom’s attempted takeover of rival semiconductor maker Qualcomm on national security grounds. The trio discuss the contrasting cultures of the two tech giants and ask the question of which company is more likely to keep the US at the forefront of the 5G revolution. Finally, they try to predict how Qualcomm’s shareholders are likely to vote if the Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States ever gives them the chance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond and New York bureau chief Jason Kelly are joined by private equity reporter Melissa Mittelman to discuss the challenges facing the buyout industry as it looks to put $1.7 trillion of dry powder to work in a deal market characterized by record high valuations and M&A-hungry corporations. The three look at big existential questions, such as: can private equity funds continue as financial engineers or must they morph into savvy operations, are we nearing an era of ill-disciplined buying, and when will Warren Buffett stop complaining and start acquiring? Finally, Jason and Ed focus on Qualcomm's social media efforts to fend off Broadcom's $117 billion takeover offer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Decrypted returns on March 6th with a brand new season. Here's a sneak peek of what's in store. We'll be releasing new episodes every Tuesday starting next week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond is joined by Jason Kelly, Bloomberg’s New York bureau chief, and hedge fund reporter Hema Parmar to talk about the importance of nomenclature on Wall Street. The three focus on the news that hedge funds have taken to calling themselves anything but hedge funds to try and secure investment, and look at why certain names are better at attracting new capital than others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond is joined by Jason Kelly, Bloomberg's New York bureau chief, and private equity reporter Melissa Mittelman, to talk about the changes underfoot at Blackstone. The three look at what the world's largest asset manger's plan to appoint Jon Gray to company president says about the future direction of Blackstone, and what it means for the private equity in general. They also tackle the question of whether private equity, with its hundreds of billions of dollars under management, can really still be considered an industry characterized by entrepreneurial zeal. Have the Barbarians at the Gate become just regular corporate citizens?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond is joined by Bloomberg Gadfly columnist Brooke Sutherland and bureau chief Jason Kelly for a deep dive into the latest news on Broadcom's $120 billion effort to acquire rival semi-conductor-maker Qualcomm. After Broadcom increased its offer this week, the three examine what defenses Qualcomm has left and how its shareholders might react if the company's board decides not to sell. They also analyze the likely response from regulators around the globe and how a deal of this size would create a ripple effect throughout the technology industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Kelly, Bloomberg's New York bureau chief, joins Ed Hammond to discuss the news that JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, one of Wall Street's best known and most outspoken personalities, has started to outline plans for his departure. As well as looking at what JPM could look like in a post-Dimon era, the two discuss the broader issues around the declining number of big-name characters on Wall Street - and what such a shift tell us about the current mood among investors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Kelly, Bloomberg's New York bureau chief, joins Ed Hammond to talk about the booming M&A market, which passed $150 billion in the first three weeks of the year for the first time since 2000. But despite the strong start, it's not all rosy for some of the world's largest private equity funds as they hunt for takeovers amid soaring equity valuations and fierce competition. The two also look at the latest big activist investor attack on the retailer Lowe's and dig into the news that superstar hedge-funder manager Bill Ackman is laying off staff after another tough year at his Pershing Square Capital Management and will spend less time with investors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brooke Sutherland joins Ed Hammond to discuss the ongoing saga at General Electric, and what a breakup for the industrial conglomerate could mean for deal makers and competitors. The two also look at how much a broken up GE might be worth vs its value today, and explore how a long history of empire building has left it ill-prepared to compete with its more nimble rivals in an era when industrial companies are increasingly focused on technology. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond is joined by Matt Monks to discuss the latest merger trends in America's power and utility industry and a closer look at how local politics can dictate the terms of multi-billion dollar dealsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're about to be singing Auld Lang Syne to 2017. To welcome in the new year, deals reporter Alex Barinka is joined by deals editor Lizzie Fournier and deals reporter Matt Monks to discuss their outlook. Will 2018 see the return of the megamerger? Who's going to have to seek out takeovers to keep up with industry wide competitive changes? And what about those IPOs? All this and more in the final episode of this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The deals world was unable to escape the cloud of uncertainty that's followed the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. The value of announced M&A transactions in the U.S. fell by almost a third this year -- the lowest since 2013. Deals reporter Alex Barinka talks to her colleague Matt Monks and U.S. deals editor Lizzie Fournier about 2017’s Trump slump and the other major factors that characterized this year in deals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond is joined by senior Bloomberg healthcare reporter Robert Langreth to discuss CVS' $68 billion takeover of health insurer Aetna. How will the US regulators respond to this latest vertical merger and how much of CVS' push into the complex insurance market is driven by the threat of Amazon entering the pharmacy market?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond is joined by Bloomberg Intelligence's Paul Sweeney to discuss Meredith's $2.8 billion acquisition of Time Inc and the impact the media merger will have on Time's storied roster of titles. The two also explore the role of the Koch brothers in financing the deal and the prospects for media M&A more generally. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond is joined by Bloomberg’s Anousha Sakoui and Tara Lachapelle to talk about the future of Fox amid reports that the media company is discussing selling major assets. What would a break up mean for the Murdoch empire and how will the shock decision by the Department of Justice to block AT&T’s $85 billion merger with Time Warner Inc affect the prospects for a Fox deal? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Hammond talks to Bloomberg's Sara Forden and Tara Lachapelle to get the inside track of AT&T's increasingly bitter fight with the Department of Justice, the chances of the telecom giant's $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner being blocked, and what the signals from the newly managed regulator suggest for future of M&A.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.