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Governors from Oklahoma, Maryland and Delaware say states remain the nation's laboratories of democracy, sharing policy ideas on housing, education, child care and energy while arguing that affordability is the top concern for voters across party lines. They say states cannot control inflation or global energy prices but can lower costs through housing supply, consumer protections, child care investments and policies that encourage economic growth while managing the impact of AI and data centers.

Think tanks bring together experts and shape debates in Washington, but how do you measure the value of an idea? From the Aspen Institute to the Heritage Foundation, this episode explores the business of ideas, the billions of dollars behind America's leading think tanks, and how they measure success.

Former US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides says there is no lasting military solution to the conflict with Iran, arguing that renewed negotiations involving regional allies offer the only realistic path to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Tehran's nuclear program. He also says regime change in Iran is not a practical near-term objective and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces growing domestic political pressure as the conflict continues without a clear resolution.

Younger Chinese professionals moving away from the traditional baijiu drinking culture, premium bottled water gaining traction with wellness-focused consumers, and historic government buildings across Europe being converted into luxury hotels. Bloomberg News' Nathan Hager joins David Gura and Christina Ruffini on Bloomberg This Weekend to share headlines you may have missed.

Bloomberg Space Reporter Loren Grush says investors will use SpaceX's first public earnings report to gauge progress on Starship, Starlink, AI infrastructure and the company's long-term growth strategy following its blockbuster IPO. She says Starship's latest test marks meaningful progress, but major technical hurdles remain before the rocket can support rapid reuse and ambitious missions to the Moon and Mars.

Bloomberg's Jeff Mason and Dan Williams say President Donald Trump is pausing planned military action against Iran to allow negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear program to continue, while warning the pause depends on reaching a deal quickly. They say Israel remains cautious, Gulf states are increasingly pursuing their own security strategies, and any agreement on shipping through Hormuz could reshape the regional balance of power even as broader conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon continue.

After spending years and hundreds of millions of dollars, Johnson and Johnson has won FDA approval for its new surgical robot Ottava. Can it challenge the dominance of competitors who entered the race years earlier, or is the market already spoken for?

• HSBC Holdings (NYSE:HSBC) agreed to divest its $36 billion Australian home and personal loan portfolio to Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) as part of a broader strategy to simplify operations.
• The transaction carries an immaterial loss of under $100 million for HSBC, while major domestic competitors continue managing multi-billion-dollar residential lending portfolios.
• Traditional banks are scaling back complex consumer portfolios to optimise capital reserves, leaving specialised non-bank institutions to expand market share through third-party servicing arrangements.

• The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported a 7.2% rise in total dwelling approvals to 18,328 in June, driven by a 17.8% jump in multi-unit approvals.
• Annual residential approvals reached 205,249 dwellings for the 2025-26 financial year, reflecting a 9.2% increase compared to the previous period.
• Sector analysts observe that while apartment pipelines expand, non-residential construction values dropped 24.7% to $8.26 billion, creating mixed pressures for large developers.

Known as the "Father of 401(k)" Ted Benna has co-created Radish: a new employer-funded retirement plan that allows employees to access funds for immediate financial needs such as car repairs or medical expenses without relying on paycheck deductions. Joining David Gura and Christina Ruffini on Bloomberg This Weekend, Benna explains that while the original 401(k) succeeded in transforming workers into savers, many people now lack the financial ability to contribute.

Former US Ambassador Bill Taylor joins Bloomberg This Weekend and says Ukraine maintains momentum on the battlefield despite intensified Russian missile attacks, while urging the US and its allies to accelerate deliveries of Patriot interceptors. Taylor explains to hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini that mounting military losses and economic strain increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin, even as Ukraine continues to press for more Western support.

The European Union is rewriting its merger rules for the first time in two decades, hoping to create business "champions" capable of competing with the US. Ingrid Vandenborre of Skadden and Yale's Fiona Scott Morton break down what's changing, why it matters for investors, and whether competition policy can really solve Europe's innovation problem.