Finance
Ray Dalio calls upcoming U.S. election the most consequential of his lifetime
Ray Dalio said the 2024 U.S. elections will likely be the most important of his lifetime and he thinks the country needs a “strong leader of the middle.”
Speaking to CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” on Thursday, the founder of Bridgewater Associates explained that the U.S. should aim to reach “broad-based prosperity” and the presidential election highlights challenges to society’s ability to function smoothly.
“As far as the election goes, it’s going to be the most consequential election of my lifetime because we now have irreconcilable differences between the two sides,” he said. “The first question we’ll ask is: will we have an orderly transition of power? We have the question- the fact that it is possible — that election results may not be accepted — that’s quite something.”
On Wednesday, Dalio had named the elections as a major force shaping the global economy, calling it an “issue of internal order and disorder.”
He told CNBC on Thursday that there’s a larger problem with a “win-at-all-cost mentality,” as it presents “challenges to being able to compromise and make decisions in a way that is conducive to our democracy working effectively.”
Republicans and Democrats are sharply divided on a number of issues, such as abortion access, immigration and climate change. Top concerns for voters across the spectrum, however, include inflation and the high cost of living, according to nationwide polls.
When asked about who he supported in the presidential race, Dalio said “neither is what the country needs.”
“What the country needs is the moderates coming together to be able to work together and make great reform,” he said. “What the country needs is broad-based prosperity.”
While Dalio expressed optimism about certain parts of American society, like the universities and culture for innovation, he said that those exceptional elements benefit only a small percentage of the population.
He explained that broad-based prosperity creates a society where there is both order and opportunity, pointing to Singapore as an example. The Southeast Asian nation is frequently lauded for its high level of education and availability of public housing.
Dario Amodei, Anthropic CEO, speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box outside the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 21st, 2025.
Gerry Miller | CNBC
Anthropic is in talks to raise a $3.5 billion funding round, significantly more than the amount previously expected, CNBC has confirmed.
The round would roughly triple the artificial intelligence startup’s valuation to $61.5 billion, according to two sources familiar with the deal, who asked not to be named because the details aren’t public. Lightspeed Ventures is leading the funding, with participation from General Catalyst and others, the sources said.
The financing, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, signals continued investor demand for top-tier AI companies, even in the face of potential disruption from China’s DeepSeek. Anthropic is backed by Amazon and Google, and had initially set out to raise $2 billion, according to a source.
Anthropic declined to comment.
The company’s last private market valuation was $18 billion. Amazon has poured $8 billion into the startup.
Anthropic was founded by early OpenAI employees and is the creator of the popular chatbot Claude. Earlier Monday, Anthropic released what it says is it’s “most intelligent AI model yet. Its so-called hybrid model combines an ability to reason — or stopping to think about complex answers — with a traditional model that spits out answers in real time.
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon on Monday said the U.S. government is inefficient and in need of work as the Trump administration terminates thousands of federal employees and works to dismantle agencies including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Dimon was asked by CNBC’s Leslie Picker whether he supported efforts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. He declined to give what he called a “binary” response, but made comments that supported the overall effort.
“The government is inefficient, not very competent, and needs a lot of work,” Dimon told Picker. “It’s not just waste and fraud, its outcomes.”
The Trump administration’s effort to rein in spending and scrutinize federal agencies “needs to be done,” Dimon added.
“Why are we spending the money on these things? Are we getting what we deserve? What should we change?” Dimon said. “It’s not just about the deficit, its about building the right policies and procedures and the government we deserve.”
Dimon said if DOGE overreaches with its cost-cutting efforts or engages in activity that’s not legal, “the courts will stop it.”
“I’m hoping it’s quite successful,” he said.
In the wide-ranging interview, Dimon also addressed his company’s push to have most workers in office five days a week, as well as his views on the Ukraine conflict, tariffs and the U.S. consumer.
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