Bloomberg Daybreak: US Edition

Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.

On today's podcast:

1) A series of Midterm debates took place Tuesday night across the country, with Election Day just weeks away. In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul faced off with her Republican challenger Bruce Blakeman. Senate debates took place in Massachusetts, Maine, Georgia, and Iowa. Along with partisan barbs, the economy was a central theme across all of the conversations, and it comes as investors get a slew of economic news this week and this morning with the September CPI due out.

2) Russia said it attacked Ukrainian electricity plants in a "massive strike" overnight, targeting six thermal plants and a substation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the strike was "entirely deliberate and demonstrative in its scale" and targeted "the very infrastructure covered by the ceasefire announced by the American President." Three people were killed and 25 injured in the attack, which also caused water and power cuts in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi.

3) An employee at OpenAI, Abdulrahman Alfozan, was arrested and charged with using a hidden recording device in one of the company's San Francisco offices. The device was discovered by OpenAI's security team on Sept. 30 in an executive conference room, and Alfozan is alleged to have placed it there around Sept. 28. OpenAI said it has no indications that Alfozan inappropriately accessed or exfiltrated model weights, source code, or customer data, and that the investigation is still ongoing.
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Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.

On today's podcast:

1) President Trump dismissed concerns that Russia and China might be helping Iran in its war with the US, adding that the two countries would have “too much to lose” in aiding the Islamic Republic. China and Russia have maintained close ties with Iran for decades but have denied providing arms assistance to Tehran in its conflict with the US that began in late February. There have, however, been reports of military cooperation. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Chinese entities shipped components used in Iran’s drones and missiles, while US officials linked satellite imagery obtained from Chinese sources to an Iranian strike that killed three American troops.

2) Saudi Arabia intercepted ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Houthis, targeting Riyadh and Khamis Mushait. The attacks pose a challenge to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to transform the kingdom's economy, with recent strikes suspending operations at Riyadh's main airport. The US is assisting Riyadh with intelligence and aerial refueling, and US President Donald Trump said he is considering joining in the fight against the Iran-backed militant group.

3) Global investors chasing the AI-powered equity rally are the most exposed to technology stocks since the rebound from the Covid pandemic six years ago, according to a poll by Bank of America Corp.The proportion of fund managers who are overweight the tech sector has risen to 37% from 30% last month, the highest since August 2020, the survey shows. About 45% of respondents agreed that there will be an AI bubble in 2027, with 42% saying no.Artificial intelligence has been the hottest trade in equities, driving gains of almost 120% in the S&P 500 Index during a four-year bull run. But some of the enthusiasm around AI is fading as investors question whether returns will justify the heavy spending on the technology. Respondents in the October BofA survey said global semiconductor stocks were the market’s most crowded trade.Eric Mollo
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Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.

On today's podcast:

1) Houthi militants targeted airports across Saudi Arabia, killing at least 14 people and wounding hundreds in two separate incidents at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The Saudi-led military coalition intercepted missiles and drones aimed at the kingdom overnight, including areas that are home to some of Saudi Arabia’s key oil and gas facilities, and vowed a “decisive” response. Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the kingdom remained committed to providing energy security, stating “There is no way that somebody will break our back. We are like a phoenix. We come out of the ashes all the time and every time.”

2) A federal judge in New York ordered the Trump administration to stop running taxpayer-funded television ads and to halt any payments of public money related to airing them. The judge wrote that the challengers had shown they’d suffer “irreparable harm” without immediate court action and that a temporary halt “serves the public interest." The challengers accused the White House of violating a congressional prohibition against using taxpayer dollars for unapproved “publicity and propaganda."

3) Ukraine will continue to respond with long-range strikes against Russia unless Moscow agrees to an energy ceasefire that still hasn’t happened, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday.Speaking via a video link at Warsaw Security Conference, the president said he learned from the media about the truce announced by US President Trump on the Truth Social platform on Sunday. Since then, Ukrainian energy infrastructure has continued to be hit by Moscow’s air strikes, according to Zelenskyy. Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t read Truth Social,” the Ukrainian president said. “If Russia doesn’t agree to energy ceasefire - we will respond.”
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It’s not just Levittown. The website hosting the doctored photos is the nexus of campaigns to harass women across the world. A victim in New Zealand helps to spark a global battle against the site and its elusive owner.
For official transcripts and additional information on this series, go to bloomberg.com/levittown
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Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week.
In the US – a look ahead to U.S CPI and PPI data, along with U.S bank earnings.
In the UK – a look ahead to European leaders meeting in Brussels.
In Asia – a look ahead to Japan's Sports Day.
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