Bloomberg Opinion

Time is running out for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. His failure to charm Donald Trump stands in stark contrast to his rival, the late Shinzo Abe. With conservatives abandoning him and supporters feeling betrayed, Ishiba’s approval rating is in free fall. Come Sunday, he may be left with a minority in both houses of parliament. As the crucial upper house vote looms, his inability to secure a trade deal could be the last mistake he makes. My latest for Bloomberg Opinion, free to read for the next week: https://lnkd.in/gsuK8EbD

Lula has emerged as an early winner of Trump's tariff wars. But his strategy faces a clear limit: Brazil can withstand one or two months of tariffs, but it can't afford a prolonged conflict with the US my latest for Bloomberg Opinion on the volatile relationship between the two largest economies in the Americas 🎁 https://lnkd.in/dU_E2kv8

Now for something different. My TikTok video on why Buldak ramen is an $8B brand, with help from our Bloomberg Opinion brilliant social media editor Michael Johnson.

My latest for Bloomberg Opinion on the controversial picks for US ambassadors for Singapore and Malaysia. Perhaps you don’t need to know that much about these nations to represent the US there — you just need to know the President. What do you think? With thanks to Shahril Hamdan Steven Okun for their insights and thoughts. Read more here!: https://lnkd.in/g4sBg-H3

Finance firms have decided they’re done with the carrot; it’s time for the stick. They're cracking down on private equity firms poaching their new analysts, threatening disciplinary action if they accept a job elsewhere early in their tenure and requiring pledges of loyalty. It's a practice that banks have been grappling with for more than a decade. So why the shift to a hardline approach now, after all this time? It’s a reflection of a broader transformation happening across the business landscape. Employers are abandoning the tools of corporate diplomacy as a way to motivate employees and instead shifting to strongman tactics: ◾CEOs are warning that AI could make their employees’ jobs obsolete. ◾They’re silencing internal critics. ◾They’re eroding flexibility, enforcing rigid workplace policies and pushing for longer hours. ◾They’re making layoffs routine and sloppy. None of it gives workers much reason to feel loyal. So rather than try to inspire fealty, bosses are simply demanding it. Common sense suggests this isn't going to work. Companies may end up with employees who are afraid to leave — but that’s not going to result in the same benefits that come with a truly dedicated workforce. My latest for Bloomberg Opinion. https://lnkd.in/exdj3sy2

Talk of firing Fed Chair Jay Powell is making it harder for the central bank to deliver lower interest rates. Read today's editorial: https://lnkd.in/e_7kQwYD

In my latest for Bloomberg Opinion, I argue rising Chinese exports to Mexico are causing not just geopolitical heartburn for a country caught between two superpowers but also threaten Mexico’s future economic prosperity. https://bit.ly/3GNeYb9

Uber’s AV tie-up Lucid and Nuro underlines a few key trends in autonomy - and a problem for Tesla. The deal shows just how unwritten the future of robotaxis really is. This is only one of several bets Uber is placing, sometimes in partnership with companies that are outright competitors, such as Waymo. The model of success, and how economics get apportioned between vehicle makers, software providers, network managers and remote services, among other parts of the ecosystem, are yet to be determined. Why is this a problem for Tesla? Because it is priced for dominance, come what may. And its initial rollout in Austin doesn’t exactly scream ‘dominance’. Read about it here at Bloomberg Opinion https://lnkd.in/e2fP4ZSe

Superman is a box office hit, but can it save Hollywood from superhero fatigue? Bloomberg Opinion's resident film critic Jason Bailey thinks studio executives shouldn’t see strong box office numbers as proof the comic book genre is back. Read his piece: https://lnkd.in/eQTnjW3J

News reports swirled Wednesday after an anonymous White House official said they expected President Trump to soon move against Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell. Trump shortly after said he is “not planning on doing anything” to remove the Fed Chair. Ending Powell’s term early could have a profound impact on the economy and the cost of living for Americans, says Ernie Tedeschi. Read why: https://lnkd.in/es7xeM4N