Latest Interviews

Can Brazil Survive Bolsonaro?

Bolsonaro, Joe Biden, Lula, Sarah Maslin

Set against Rio de Janeiro's backdrop of systemic corruption, high police violence, and pandemic-driven healthcare strain, President Jair Bolsonaro navigated a political crisis marked by Brazil's highest global death toll in April 2020 and a catastrophic rise in Amazon deforestation. Although his 2018 election capitalized on anti-corruption sentiment and evangelical support through an initial emergency welfare program, his approval ratings have since collapsed below 30% due to soaring unemployment, the withdrawal of economic aid, and failed anti-corruption reforms that protect his family. As the nation approaches the 2022 presidential rematch between Bolsonaro and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, democratic institutions like the Supreme Court continue to check executive overreach while analysts warn of escalating tension between the military, the government, and long-term democratic stability.

Covid-19: how many people have died?

Sondre Ulvand-Solstad

The Economist's statistical model revises global pandemic mortality to approximately 10 million deaths, significantly exceeding official counts due to severe underreporting in developing nations and specific outliers like Russia. By analyzing 121 demographic and geographic indicators, the study reveals that current daily death spikes, particularly in India, signal a shift where the virus is driving mass mortality in less internationally connected regions. These findings reclassify several countries based on excess deaths while noting that demographic age structures and reduced transmission of other infectious diseases create complex regional disparities in fatality rates.

Could digital currencies put banks out of business?

Alice Forwood

Commercial banks currently create most global money through fractional reserve lending, yet their role is diminishing as intangible assets hinder corporate financing and tech giants like Ant Group bypass traditional rails with massive digital ecosystems. In response, central banks are rapidly developing Central Bank Digital Currencies, with 80% considering issuance, to reclaim monetary control and maintain a direct consumer link against these non-bank competitors. While this shift toward a potential world without traditional banks offers financial inclusion benefits, experts warn it carries severe risks including systemic cyber vulnerabilities and expanded state surveillance over transactions.

Scottish independence: could Britain break up?

Mike, Andy, Matthew Holhouse

Amidst deepening internal strain and divergent post-Brexit trade interests, the Scottish National Party has pledged to demand a second independence referendum following a potential May election victory. This political push challenges Prime Minister Boris Johnson's firm stance that such a vote requires Westminster's consent, creating a legal and economic stalemate that could disrupt vital trade flows with England. As fiscal deficits widen and public support for sovereignty grows, the event highlights a critical juncture where the historical union faces its most significant threat since the 1707 Acts of Union.

Whenever, Wherever: Seamless Commerce is the Future of Retail

Jennifer Davis, Vishaal Rana, Jake Seward, Jen Davis

Recorded on April 5, 2021, this analysis details the retail sector's rapid pivot from defensive survival to offensive growth, driven by a decade's worth of e-commerce growth compressed into a single quarter and fueled by significant economic stimulus. Major market shifts include a 100% surge in M&A activity dominated by SPACs, the emergence of experiential physical stores, and the rise of resale platforms expanding twenty-five times faster than the broader industry. While traditional giants like Target and Walmart leverage existing footprints to compete with Amazon, the landscape remains defined by a critical capability gap in omni-channel personalization and an accelerating board-level mandate for sustainability and supply chain traceability.

How to crunch covid-19 data

Leveraging unprecedented data volumes, The Economist's data team exposed divergent global lockdown strategies through real-time mobility tracking that rapidly convinced Google to release public datasets and prompted immediate adoption in government briefings. Concurrently, the organization's simplified "flatten the curve" visualization, refined by editor Sasha Mostow and academic Drew Harris, established a critical communication standard for illustrating social distancing impacts on healthcare capacity. These efforts collectively transformed raw data into actionable policy tools, fundamentally shaping the global response to the pandemic.

How covid-19 is boosting innovation

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a five-year technological timeline, forcing global enterprises and healthcare systems to rapidly integrate innovations like mRNA vaccines, drone logistics, and telemedicine to ensure survival. While this crisis triggered record merger volumes and a surge in remote work productivity, it simultaneously widened the digital divide for students lacking home internet access and favored large corporations over emerging startups. Ultimately, the era solidified permanent shifts in food delivery, educational infrastructure, and medical development, fundamentally reshaping market dynamics and societal expectations for digital adoption.

Nuclear power: why is it so unpopular?

Oliver Morton

Although nuclear energy currently supplies 10% of global electricity as a reliable low-carbon alternative, its growth is stifled by high construction costs, severe public fear stemming from accidents like Chernobyl and Fukushima, and complex geopolitical proliferation risks. While statistical data suggests nuclear power is among the safest energy sources per unit of electricity, the industry faces a stagnation in reactor numbers and a lack of a projected "nuclear renaissance" due to competition from falling renewable costs. Consequently, the future of the sector hinges on whether advanced modular technologies can resolve long-standing issues with standardization and economic viability against established alternatives.

Iran v America: what's behind the feud?

Roger McShane

Spanning from the 1953 Anglo-American coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh to the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the US-Iran rivalry has been defined by decades of proxy wars, the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq conflict, and a 444-day hostage crisis. While the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action briefly limited Tehran's nuclear program under the Obama administration, the 2018 US withdrawal by President Donald Trump reignited tensions and accelerated Iran's enrichment capabilities despite economic sanctions. Current diplomatic efforts by President Biden to restore the deal face significant obstacles due to Iran's hardline political shift and deep-seated historical grievances that hinder regional rapprochement.

Digital Transformation and the Future of Software

Kash Rangan, Jake Seward

A February 2021 analysis of digital transformation trends reveals that corporate IT buyers are accelerating spending, reallocating approximately 15% of budgets toward cloud adoption and security while shifting strategic vendor relationships to leaders like Microsoft and ServiceNow. Despite the software sector achieving a 90% gain in 2020 that rivals dot-com era valuations, investors are increasingly adopting a barbell strategy that favors high-growth technology stocks and value assets over mid-range equities. The discussion highlights that while immediate remote work tools dominate headlines, fundamental digital infrastructure and undervalued artificial intelligence capabilities represent the most attractive long-term opportunities as the market navigates a projected sevenfold expansion in cloud substitution.

Big, Bold, Strategic Moves: The 2021 M&A Outlook

Stephan Feldgoise, Mark Sorrell, Jake Seward, Stefan Feldgeus

Following a pandemic-induced dip, the M&A market achieved a record $1.8 trillion in second-half 2020 deal value, a rebound driven by vaccine optimism and robust capital availability that propelled activity to double pre-pandemic levels by early 2021. Goldman Sachs facilitated over 100 of these transactions through a predominantly virtual execution model, which clients now favor for efficiency while major cross-border and large-ticket deals exceeding $10 billion resume traditional global patterns. The 2021 outlook predicts aggressive strategic repositioning fueled by abundant private equity dry powder, innovative financing structures, and a heightened appetite for hostile approaches as boards prioritize growth over caution.

The minimum wage: does it hurt workers?

Duncan Wilden

While standard economic theory predicts that minimum wage hikes cause unemployment, a paradigm shift initiated by Card and Kruger's 1992 study revealed that employer monopsony power often allows wages to rise without significant job losses. This empirical evidence has driven global policy adoption and created a complex patchwork of local regulations, as seen in conflicting Seattle studies regarding hours versus earnings. Currently, President Joe Biden's proposed federal $15 wage floor represents an unprecedented national experiment that economists await to resolve whether the scale of this increase poses a risk to employment or serves as a necessary economic lift.

Training for David Goggins - 4x4x48 Challenge | Lex Fridman

David Goggins, Lex Fridman

On March 5th at 8:00 PM Pacific Time, the speaker and David Goggins will jointly attempt the grueling "4x4x48" challenge, which requires running 48 miles over a 48-hour period by completing four miles every four hours in an unsupervised desert setting. Both athletes are following a strict six-day-per-week training protocol emphasizing daily ritual and clean nutrition, with Goggins broadcasting the event's progress via Instagram Live at the start of each leg. The public is invited to replicate the effort by performing 40 to 60 minutes of exercise every four hours and sharing their progress on social media, aiming to inspire broader physical engagement and self-discovery.

France’s Economic Environment for 2021

Pierre Hudry, Jake Seward

Recorded in January 2021, this discussion with Goldman Sachs executives forecasts a French GDP contraction of 8.5% to 9.2% for 2021, projecting a return to 2019 levels by 2022 contingent on pandemic management and supported by $130 billion in state-guaranteed loans. The dialogue details sector-specific resilience, noting that small businesses and the tech industry secured significant government aid while corporate M&A activity rose 8% despite lingering challenges in travel and hospitality. Additionally, the event highlights Goldman Sachs's strategic expansion in Paris, including a headcount doubling and a new office relocation in 2022 to serve as a hub for continental European clients and emerging IPO markets.

Companies Continue to Turn to SPACs for Greater Flexibility

Olympia McNerney, Jake Seward

The 2020 SPAC market surged to over 200 IPOs raising $100 billion, driven by flexible terms and a broadening investor base that included traditional mutual funds. Following a temporary correction caused by supply fatigue in late 2020, the sector stabilized by December with 10 to 15 successful combinations, signaling renewed momentum for 2021. Looking forward, the industry is expanding into global markets and sectors like PropTech and auto tech, with Goldman Sachs noting 80 active SPACs poised to facilitate an additional $500 billion in M&A activity over the next two years.