Bloomberg Businessweek

Watch Bloomberg Businessweek Daily every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.Larry Ellison is throwing his personal fortune behind Paramount Skydance Corp.’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., aiming to give his son’s company an advantage in a fiercely contested takeover battle with Netflix Inc.Both suitors moved on Monday to strengthen the financial backing for their offers, though they stopped short of increasing their bids. Netflix refinanced a portion of its planned $59 billion of debt as a way to ensure a lasting investment-grade rating — a key advantage it holds over the lower-rated Paramount.But it’s the personal guarantee of Ellison, the world’s fifth-richest person with a $246 billion fortune, that could force a rethink by Warner Bros. The board previously urged shareholders to reject Paramount’s offer in part because the billionaire father of its Chief Executive Officer David Ellison had backed the $40.4 billion of equity financing with a revocable trust that could, as the name implies, be withdrawn or amended at any time.Paramount has been aggressively pursuing Warner Bros. for months and Ellison was taken by surprise when the board agreed to a deal with Netflix for $82.7 billion for the streaming and studio assets. The strength of the financing for each bid has emerged as a decisive issue in the takeover battle, which unleashed two massive debt-fueled offers that rank among the largest in the past decade. Paramount took its offer of $30 a share, or $108.4 billion including debt, for the entire company directly to shareholders.Today's show features: Bloomberg News Media Editor Molly Schuetz and Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Credit Analyst Stephen Flynn on the latest developments in the Warner Bros. Discovery bidding war Que Nguyen, Chief Investment Officer, Equity Strategies with Research Affiliates on whether small- and mid-cap stocks are contributing to the bull market and how much more growth we can expect from the AI trade Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Commodity Strategist Mike McGlone on trading trends in gold and crypto Darrick Hamilton, University Professor, the Henry Cohen Professor of Economics and Urban Policy at the New School, on whether Trump accounts can help close the racial wealth gap in America See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brothers Bob and Russ Shay grew up with a relentless passion for skiing, and were frustrated with ill-fitting and mass-produced ski boots designed to fit everyone, without fitting anyone. Their love for the sport led them on a years-long search for any edge in training, technique, and equipment. Using tools in their family's garage, they ground, sawed, cut, padded, and pounded away at ski boots. Their vision was to combine comfort and performance to build a ski boot that would fit like it was made for you instead of a generic foot. The result was Surefoot, the world's largest custom ski boot company Bob Shay, who is now serving as the CEO of Surefoot, details the firm's growth into a worldwide winter sports brand, and discusses whether he's ever considered selling the company. Bob speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec on Bloomberg Businessweek Daily.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Featuring some of our favorite conversations of the week from our daily radio show "Bloomberg Businessweek Daily."Hosted by Carol Massar and Tim StenovecHear the show live at 2PM ET on WBBR 1130 AM New York, Bloomberg 92.9 FM Boston, WDCH 99.1 FM in Washington D.C. Metro, Sirius/XM channel 121, on the Bloomberg Business App, Radio.com, the iHeartRadio app and at Bloomberg.com/audio.You can also watch Bloomberg Businessweek on YouTube - just search for Bloomberg Global News.Like us at Bloomberg Radio on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @carolmassar @timsteno and @BWSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF. The US Justice Department released files from investigations into notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the culmination of a push that has had repercussions for prominent business leaders and politicians, including President Donald Trump. The disclosure came after Congress overwhelmingly passed legislation in November compelling the department to make the files public. Trump had long resisted the move but relented and signed the bill as pressure from Republican lawmakers forced his hand. The law required the release of investigative records, flight logs, travel documents, immunity deals, internal department communications and papers related to Epstein’s 2019 death. But the measure also includes protections for survivors and allows exceptions for ongoing investigations. The Justice Department organized a team of more than 200 attorneys to work on determining which materials were responsive to the new law, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote in a letter Friday to lawmakers. “This process resulted in over 1,200 names being identified as victims or their relatives,” Blanche wrote in a letter reported by Fox News. The department redacted references to their names and any materials that could result in their identification, Blanche said. However, Blanche also told lawmakers that “the volume of materials to be reviewed” meant it wasn’t possible to meet the law’s requirement to release all files by Friday. The department plans to complete the release of all files during the next two weeks, Blanche said. Today's show features: Bloomberg News Senior Investigative Reporter Jason Leopold on the DOJ's Epstein files release Bloomberg News Senior Editor, Equities Americas Eric Weiner recaps the trading week Tye Brady, Chief Technologist at Amazon Robotics, on delivery preparations for customers during the holiday season using new robotic technology Dan Ahrens Portfolio Manager of the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF, on what the Trump Administration’s push to reschedule marijuana as a less-dangerous drug means for pot stocks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Watch Carol and Tim LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.Underlying US inflation rose in November at the slowest annual pace since early 2021, an unexpected improvement in a report muddled by the government shutdown.The core consumer price index, which excludes the often-volatile food and energy categories, increased 2.6% in November from a year ago, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data out Thursday. The overall CPI climbed 2.7% in November from a year ago.The longest-ever government shutdown prevented the BLS from collecting much of the October price data. That not only limited the agency’s ability to determine month-over-month changes for the broader measures of inflation, but some economists noted it likely impacted the annual November figures as well.Despite numerous caveats, the report offers some hope that inflationary pressures are easing after remaining stuck in a narrow range since early this year. The BLS said the core CPI rose just 0.2% over the two months ended in November, restrained by declines in costs of hotel stays, recreation and apparel. Prices of household furnishings and personal care products rose.However, several economists noted that the two-month change in key shelter categories, which are some of the biggest components of the CPI, was basically flat — calling the calculations into question.Today's show features: Jason Granet, Chief Investment Officer of BNY, on the market outlook and the Federal Reserve’s path forward Frank Sorrentino, Founder and CEO of ConnectOne Bank, on the economic outlook and the health of community banking sector Bloomberg News Energy Reporter Will Wade on a planned $6 billion merger between Trump Media & Technology nuclear fusion developer TAE Technologies Michelle Korsmo, CEO of the National Restaurant Association, on the struggles of restaurant workers and smaller eateries amid rising inflation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.