Crypto Financial

Bloomberg Pursuits Senior Features Writer Thu-Huong Ha tells Bloomberg This Weekend about spending 48 hours in Singapore without relying on a smartphone, navigating a city where transportation, payments, dining and government services are deeply integrated with digital technology. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Ha says the experiment required more patience and effort but also made her more observant of her surroundings and convinced her there is value in experiencing boredom without immediately reaching for a screen.

Bloomberg Intelligence Chief US Interest Rate Strategist Ira Jersey tells Bloomberg This Weekend that softer September jobs data give the Federal Reserve room to hold rates steady in October, but persistent inflation could still lead policymakers to raise rates again in December and early next year. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Jersey says strong economic growth and loose fiscal policy are also contributing to higher global bond yields, keeping pressure on central banks to restrain inflation.

Bloomberg Opinion Columnist Gautam Mukunda tells Bloomberg This Weekend that voluntary safeguards may not be enough to manage AI risks because competitive and financial pressures can push companies to prioritize growth over safety. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Mukunda discusses the White House's new AI task force, Anthropic's planned IPO and broader questions about whether increasingly advanced AI systems can be safely governed.

Bloomberg Mideast Energy Correspondent Anthony Di Paola tells Bloomberg This Weekend that the G7's 100 million-barrel emergency release is already pushing fuel prices lower but is likely to provide only temporary relief as refinery constraints and Middle East disruptions keep diesel supplies tight. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Di Paola says China's oil demand and escalating risks around the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea will be key factors determining where global energy prices go next.

China spent decades building a dominant position across rare-earth mining, processing and magnet manufacturing, leaving the US dependent on a foreign supply chain for materials essential to everything from vehicles and wind turbines to electronics and defense systems. MP Materials is now trying to rebuild that chain domestically, moving from its Mountain Pass mine in California into refining. But catching up will take more than finding minerals: the US still faces higher costs, limited processing capacity, opaque pricing and a Chinese lead that industry experts say took roughly 25 years to build.

Bloomberg Pursuits reporter Sarah Rappaport tells Bloomberg This Weekend that luxury travelers are increasingly seeking tiny hotels with as few as one to six rooms, combining the privacy of a villa with personalized high-end hotel service. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Rappaport says the trend is spreading across Europe and the US as travelers seek exclusivity, fewer crowds and unusual experiences in restaurants, museums and historic properties.

Washington Institute research director Dana Stroul tells Bloomberg This Weekend that the US military buildup in the Middle East, including a third aircraft carrier, is expanding President Donald Trump's options as diplomacy with Iran remains stalled and Washington weighs its approach to the Houthis in Yemen. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Stroul says US economic sanctions and the naval blockade are putting significant pressure on Iran but have not yet produced major concessions on the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran's nuclear program or its regional activities.

Fraud investigator Jay Jones, known online as "The Profiler," tells Bloomberg This Weekend that AI is helping scammers create increasingly convincing fake recruiters and job listings that can lead victims to surrender money and sensitive personal information. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Jones says he has helped remove more than 58,000 fraudulent job listings and advises applicants to verify company websites, domain histories and where application links lead before sharing personal information.

Atlantic Staff Writer Vivian Salama tells Bloomberg This Weekend that Egypt's then-intelligence chief Abbas Kamel made an unusual 67-minute trip to Israel less than two weeks before the Oct. 7, 2023, attack to warn Israeli officials that intelligence indicated Hamas was mobilizing for a major assault. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Salama says Egypt was among several regional governments that raised concerns before the attack, while questions remain about who received the warnings and how Israeli officials responded.

Debate over artificial intelligence has largely focused on whether machines could become too powerful. Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel argues that a more immediate question is whether AI changes humans themselves: weakening authentic connection, independent thought and the ways people understand meaning and purpose. Universities are already confronting that challenge as students increasingly use AI to learn and communicate, while Vanderbilt University Chairman Daniel Diermeier argues that technological fluency must be paired with the ability to think independently.

Bloomberg Economics economic statecraft lead Chris Kennedy tells Bloomberg This Weekend that the G7's coordinated release of up to 100 million barrels of oil and fuel could provide near-term relief from record diesel prices, but will not resolve supply constraints tied to the Iran war and attacks on Russian refining capacity. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Kennedy says a US diesel export ban could create unintended consequences for domestic and global fuel markets, while high diesel costs are adding economic pressure in states with competitive midterm races

Bloomberg senior White House reporter Josh Wingrove tells Bloomberg This Weekend that President Donald Trump's campaign stops in traditionally Republican states such as Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas reflect competitive races and an effort to bolster GOP support as economic concerns weigh on the party. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Wingrove also discusses Trump's appearance with Dennis Rodman amid interest in renewed diplomacy with North Korea and an upcoming Alberta vote that could begin a process toward separation from Canada.