Bloomberg Opinion

Here's what's inside the GOP's budget proposal — and its potential impacts. Subscribe to our free daily newsletter for the latest coverage and more: https://lnkd.in/eVEp-KBU

We just can't stop talking, posting, writing or reading about Ryan Coogler's Sinners. Film historian Jason Bailey says the continued success of the unique and unpredictable #film is heartening for many reason. Chief among them is a reason that deserves more attention given the current state of #Hollywood: the picture has proven to be a word-of-mouth hit. Click the Bloomberg Opinion gift link to read more

Japan is facing an economic crossroads. So why is its election stuck in the past? Despite looming threats from AI disruption and global tariffs, July's upper house race is already being dominated by tired arguments over the country’s consumption tax. Populist calls to slash or eliminate the tax sound appealing and enjoy broad support. But for all its flaws, the consumption tax is on the books — and Japan doesn’t have the time to rehash this debate yet again. Policymakers must resist the pull of populism and offer a bold new economic vision instead. My latest for Bloomberg Opinion, free to read for the next week: https://lnkd.in/ga_Nmhbw

Swatch defeated activist investor Steven Wood's efforts to be elected to its board. Even so the Swiss company is now firmly on activists' "watch", potentially alongside other luxury strugglers such as Gucci owner Kering: https://lnkd.in/eEbbek29

The test of intelligent analysis of American foreign policy under President Donald Trump is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. The first idea is that Trump, on the whole, is a disaster for America’s long-term stature in the international system, making the world less orderly and more chaotic. The second is that Trump, like a broken clock that’s right twice a day, occasionally has the right instinct. One such moment occurred last week during his visit to the Middle East. Addressing an audience in Riyadh that included Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump came out with a devastatingly perceptive critique of his predecessors, and in particular the previous Republican president, George W. Bush. The “gleaming marvels” of Arabia, Trump told his hosts, did “not come from Western interventionists … giving you lectures on how to live.” Those “so-called ‘nation-builders,’ ‘neo-cons,’ or ‘liberal non-profits,’” instead “wrecked far more nations than they built.” They were, Trump said with what sounded like intellectual humility, “intervening in complex societies that they did not even understand themselves.” Amen. In a few words, Trump deconstructed the messianic hubris of Bush the neo-con and nation-builder, who promised a “humble” foreign policy but was transformed by 9/11 into a “crusading” zealot.... (Read the whole column. GIFT LINK below) Bloomberg Opinion https://bloom.bg/4jdEO5g

Tesla is due to launch its robotaxi service in Austin next month and, this time, it will deliver … something. Because it has to. The gap between its flagging EV sales and its trillion-dollar valuation has become a chasm. Robotaxis are needed to fill the gap. The Austin service will launch with just 10-20 vehicles and is likely to be heavily supported in the background with remote operators. The aim here isn’t to make money but to lend support to Tesla’s claim of leadership in autonomy even as rival Waymo’s rides have taken off already. Even if the launch generates the necessary buzz, and without mishaps, it will still serve to highlight a big, unresolved question: How will Tesla actually integrate the privately-owned EVs it claims are robitaxis in waiting to its network? Read about it here at Bloomberg Opinion https://lnkd.in/egQ-D5XR

Recession and sticky inflation are a toxic mix for smaller US banks that are still carrying billions in unrealized losses on bonds. The Office of Financial Research has just produced a study on how large those bond losses are. Read more at Bloomberg Opinion >> https://lnkd.in/eY-TNk-Q

Free to read. Will New World Development suffer consequences with its decision not to call perpetuals? The key is how Chinese banks see this action. My latest for Bloomberg Opinion

Japan is facing an economic crossroads. So why is its election stuck in the past? Despite looming threats from AI disruption and global tariffs, July's upper house race is already being dominated by tired arguments over the country’s consumption tax. Populist calls to slash or eliminate the tax sound appealing and enjoy broad support. But for all its flaws, the consumption tax is on the books — and Japan doesn’t have the time to rehash this debate yet again. Policymakers must resist the pull of populism and offer a bold new economic vision instead. My latest for Bloomberg Opinion, free to read for the next week: https://lnkd.in/ga_Nmhbw

Tesla is due to launch its robotaxi service in Austin next month and, this time, it will deliver … something. Because it has to. The gap between its flagging EV sales and its trillion-dollar valuation has become a chasm. Robotaxis are needed to fill the gap. The Austin service will launch with just 10-20 vehicles and is likely to be heavily supported in the background with remote operators. The aim here isn’t to make money but to lend support to Tesla’s claim of leadership in autonomy even as rival Waymo’s rides have taken off already. Even if the launch generates the necessary buzz, and without mishaps, it will still serve to highlight a big, unresolved question: How will Tesla actually integrate the privately-owned EVs it claims are robitaxis in waiting to its network? Read about it here at Bloomberg Opinion https://lnkd.in/egQ-D5XR