Hegang, a remote coal town in northern China that faced a mountain of debt, was forced to undergo an unprecedented financial restructuring. And it’s not alone. A local debt problem in some of China’s cities threatens to be a drag on the world’s second-largest economy for years to come. Bloomberg’s Colum Murphy and James Mayger join this episode from Beijing to talk about what’s happening in Hegang and other cities, and why China’s local debt challenges may be felt well beyond its borders. Read more: China’s $23 Trillion Local Debt Mess Is About to Get Worse Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] podcast is produced by the Big Take Podcast team: Supervising Producer: Vicki Vergolina, Senior Producer: Kathryn Fink, Producer: Federica Romaniello, Associate Producer: Zaynab Siddiqui. Sound Design/Engineer: Gilda Garcia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is Adidas without Yeezy? It’s making a lot less money for starters. Last year, longtime collaborator Ye — previously known as Kanye West — finally pushed executives too far with his outbursts and a series of anti-Semitic rants. Adidas cut ties on a collaboration worth billions.  It left a gaping hole in Adidas’s profits and exposed the challenges that one of Germany’s biggest companies now faces. Bloomberg reporters Kim Bhasin and Tim Loh join this episode to walk through how it all unfolded, and where Adidas goes from here. Read more: Adidas After Yeezy Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Automation has crept into the way all kinds of products are manufactured, but machines have also been making inroads into a different type of industry: food services. Beyond touch screens and self checkouts taking over jobs once done by humans, restaurants and fast food chains are experimenting with robots to make your pizza and assemble your salad. Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Elizabeth Dunn joins this episode to talk about her reporting on Sweetgreen, a salad chain that’s taking its first leap into a largely automated experience in a Chicago-area location. And restaurant reporter Daniela Sirtori-Cortina looks at the public-facing side of restaurant automation. Read more: Sweetgreen Tests Robots to Make Faster, More Efficient Sad Desk Salads Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Big Take team is taking a knee for the holiday, so we wanted to share one of our favorite episodes. Enjoy, we'll be back tomorrow!-------The global pet economy is expected to reach nearly half a trillion dollars by 2030. After a pandemic surge in pet adoptions, more people are buying ever more expensive food and toys for their furry friends. But beyond these routine costs, a growing number of owners are also shelling out thousands for veterinary care to treat complex illnesses and keep their pets alive for longer.  Bloomberg reporters Brendan Case and Nacha Cattan join this episode to give an expansive view of the industry, including how new diagnostic tools and medications are extending pet lifespans—and wearing down owners’ wallets. Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] podcast is produced by the Big Take Podcast team: Supervising Producer: Vicki Vergolina, Senior Producer: Kathryn Fink, Producers: Mo Barrow, Rebecca Chaisson, Michael Falero and Federica Romaniello, Associate Producers: Sam Gebauer and Zaynab Siddiqui. Sound Design/Engineers: Raphael Amsili and Gilda Garcia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The shale revolution has powered the US economy, shaken up oil markets, and shaped America’s foreign policy. That may soon begin to change as the growth in shale oil productions slows. Bloomberg Opinion columnist Javier Blas joins this episode to talk about how important the shale bonanza has been for the US, and what–if anything–can ultimately replace it.  Read more: Wall Street Is Finally Going to Make Money Off the Permian Listen to The Big Take podcast every weekday and subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://bloom.bg/3F3EJAK  Have questions or comments for Wes and the team? Reach us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.