Wsj What's News

This week, we’re bringing you an episode of Bold Names, which presents conversations with the leaders of the bold-named companies featured in the pages of The Wall Street Journal. On this episode, hosts WSJ’s Tim Higgins and Christopher Mims speak with Condoleezza Rice, former secretary of state, the current leader of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a founding partner at the strategic consulting firm Rice, Hadley, Gates & Manuel LLC. She explains why she says the U.S. needs to “run hard and run fast” and win the tech race with China. She also discusses why executives can no longer afford to think of foreign policy as separate from strategy. For additional information on the Bold Names podcast and more episodes click here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which of the major home improvement stores came out on top this week? And why is Target investing $1 billion more in store upgrades? Plus, how did the Trump administration’s loan to Constellation Energy affect its stock this week? Host Telis Demos discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Nov. 21. It’s mostly tech companies that have hit the milestone of a $1 trillion valuation. As WSJ Heard on the Street columnist David Wainer explains, Eli Lilly’s entrance into this elite club is for a completely different reason: weight-loss drugs. Plus, New Mexico is one of the poorest states in the U.S., but it’s planning to spend millions of dollars per year to be the first state to offer universal childcare. We hear from WSJ economics reporter Harriet Torry about how the plan will work, and what critics say. And now that the U.S. has presented its 28-point peace plan to Ukraine, President Trump says he expects an answer by Thanksgiving, leaving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with what he calls a very difficult choice. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bonus Episode for Nov. 21. Chipmakers are raking it in, but investors are getting nervous over “circular” AI semiconductor deals, the potential for an AI bubble and the pop that could follow. How grounded are those concerns about the AI boom? WSJ chips reporter Robbie Whelan discusses how the biggest names in chipmaking performed last quarter and what it could mean for markets. WSJ Heard on the Street writer Asa Fitch hosts this special bonus episode of What's News in Earnings, where we dig into companies’ earnings reports and analyst calls to find out what’s going on under the hood of the American economy. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Further Reading: Nvidia’s Strong Results Show AI Fears Are Premature Nvidia Profits Soar, Countering Investor Jitters on AI Boom The AI Boom Is Looking More and More Fragile AMD Reports Sharply Higher Profits, Sales AMD Is an Increasingly Formidable Competitor to Nvidia Intel Surges as First Earnings Report Since U.S. Investment Shows Mo

A.M. Edition for Nov. 21. Asian semiconductor stocks tumbled, a day after Nvidia’s gains were erased on U.S. markets as investors continue to question AI valuations. Plus, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup pull out of a planned $20 billion bailout to Argentina that was pushed by the Trump administration. And WSJ chief China correspondent Lingling Wei details how China is ramping up a new pressure campaign on Taiwan. Kate Bullivant hosts.Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Nov. 20. Walmart reported strong quarterly earnings and raised its outlook for the year as shoppers across income levels look for value. Plus, a delayed jobs report showed that the U.S. labor market added more jobs than expected in September, but that and strong earnings from Nvidia didn’t assuage jittery investors. WSJ markets reporter Hannah Erin Lang discusses what’s driving today’s market reversal. And a preliminary report into the deadly UPS cargo plane crash earlier this month found signs of metal fatigue and stress in a piece that connected the plane’s left engine to the wing. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Nov. 20. Nvidia's highly-anticipated earnings report did not disappoint with soaring profits soothing investor jitters over the AI boom. Seema Shah from Principal Asset Management explores what this all means for markets going forward. Plus, the White House drafts a peace plan for ending the war in Ukraine, featuring major concessions from Kyiv. And with bids for Warner Bros. Discovery due today, WSJ entertainment reporter Joe Flint looks at the potential buyers and who’s the likely frontrunner. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Nov. 19. Traders have used debt to maximize their gains as they bought and sold crypto this year—now, with prices dropping, they’re turbocharging losses too. WSJ crypto reporter Vicky Ge Huang tells us what makes those bets so risky. Plus, Target says it will invest billions in its stores as it seeks to turn around slumping sales. And minutes from October’s Federal Reserve meeting show deepening divisions, putting a rate cut at the next meeting in question. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all want a little treat—even if we’re on a budget. That desire may be part of what’s shaping U.S. liquor sales; big spirits companies are seeing growth in the sales of their smaller bottles of liquor, while sales of the pricier larger sizes decline. What does that tell us about how consumers are feeling about their wallets? Host Alex Ossola discusses with Nadine Sarwat, director and equity research analyst at brokerage firm Bernstein. And finally, in this last episode of our alternative economic indicator series, WSJ investing columnist Spencer Jakab joins Alex to take stock of all four indicators in this series—Nevada employment, copper, heavy trucks and liquor—and the picture they paint about the broader U.S. economy.  Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Further Listening Alternative Indicators: Can Nevada Employment Predict Where the Economy is Headed? Alternative Indicators: What’s Dr. Copper’s Prognosis for the U.S. Economy? Alternative Indicators: What Big-Rig Truck Sales Reve

A.M. Edition for Nov. 19. After dropping for four straight sessions, markets are now bracing for today’s earnings report from AI-bellweather Nvidia. Plus, WSJ’s Anne Tergesen explains why millions of Americans are leaving behind old 401(k) accounts - costing savers billions in missed investment gains. And a rare Gustav Klimt portrait has shattered records, becoming the most expensive modern artwork ever sold at auction. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Nov. 18. A federal judge has dismissed the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust case against Meta Platforms, which alleged that the company has a social-media monopoly. We hear from WSJ tech reporter Meghan Bobrowsky about what that means for Meta. Plus, President Trump said that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ”knew nothing about” the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, rejecting a CIA assessment at the time. Plus, the House has passed a bill to release government files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Nov. 18. As the market rout hits everything from stocks to crypto, WSJ’s Hannah Miao explains how concerns over missing government data and lofty AI valuations are fueling the downturn. Plus, a House vote on releasing the Epstein files is expected later today, as President Trump’s grip on the GOP seems to be slipping. And companies begin pushing out employees who aren’t using AI in their day to day work. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Nov. 17. As companies are laying off thousands of workers, they’re using new tactics like texting and emails and listen-only video calls to communicate to workers that they’ve lost their jobs. Chip Cutter, who covers workplace issues for the Journal, discusses what’s driving these new strategies and how workers are responding. Plus, the head of FEMA has resigned after about seven months on the job. And “Baby Shark Dance”—every toddler’s favorite jam—is YouTube’s most watched video ever. But that mind-blowing popularity hasn’t translated to major sales for the South Korean company behind it. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is U.S. manufacturing driving off a cliff or into the sunset—and taking the economy with it? Look no further than sales of heavy trucks. Trucking companies buy more of these big rigs when they expect they will have more stuff to ship, so declines in heavy truck sales often match up to economic contractions dating back to the 1960s. Now the data show that sales have been going downhill since 2023, falling off more dramatically since June of this year. Host Alex Ossola talks with Bob Tita, who covers manufacturing for The Wall Street Journal, and Avery Vise, vice president of trucking for data analysis and forecasting firm FTR Transportation Intelligence, about what that says about this moment in the economy, and what might be clouding the picture. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter.Further Listening Alternative Indicators: Can Nevada Employment Predict Where the Economy is Headed? Alternative Indicators: What’s Dr. Copper’s Prognosis for the U.S. Economy? Learn more about your ad choices.

A.M. Edition for Nov. 17. The White House throws its weight behind the House vote to release DOJ files related to Jeffrey Epstein. WSJ’s Scott Patterson explains what’s behind President Trump’s surprising reversal. Plus, good news for travelers: the FAA is set to lift flight restrictions today. And WSJ Paris bureau chief, Stacy Meichtry on why France is seeing a disturbing wave of museum heists and details the frightening fate of priceless crown jewels. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gen Z and Millennials are tightening their purse strings, and the first businesses on the chopping block are fast-casual dining spots. The usual fan favorites like Chipotle, Sweetgreen and Cava are suddenly falling out of favor with young American consumers. WSJ reporters Heather Haddon and Matt Grossman discuss how these companies are responding, and what this shift says about the broader economy. Caitlin McCabe hosts.  Further Reading Chipotle’s Big Bet on Younger Consumers Is Unraveling Are the Economy’s Salad Days Over? Chipotle Says Gloomy Consumers Are Buying Fewer Burritos Fast-Casual Chains Struggle as Diners Ditch Pricey Bowls for Cheaper Eats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What beefy problems were Tyson and vegan alternative Beyond Meat dealing with this week? And what sent tech stocks sliding this week? Plus, how did two media giants fare while a potential deal for some or all of Warner Bros. Discovery continues to unfold? Host Francesca Fontana discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Nov. 14. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is stepping down after more than a decade at the helm, and longtime executive John Furner will take his place. WSJ reporter Chip Cutter discusses how McMillon reshaped the U.S.’s biggest private employer, and what it means for its strategy with Furner in the top spot. Plus, how does online retailer Quince seem to always have what you’re looking for? Chavie Lieber, who covers fashion and culture for the Journal, goes inside the company’s strategy and how it’s able to sell high fashion “dupes” at a fraction of the price. And the U.S. has struck a trade deal with Switzerland after a charm offensive from the country’s business executives that lowers the tariffs on Swiss goods from 39% to 15%. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Nov. 14. Traders are dumping tech shares and riskier assets amid fears that delayed government data could shift expectations for a Fed rate cut in December. Plus, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents set their sights on North Carolina as the Trump administration's immigration crackdown continues. And, WSJ economics editor Alex Frangos explains why next year’s graduates face the worst job market in five years. Kate Bullivant hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Nov. 13. AI startup Anthropic said China’s state-sponsored hackers used its tools to automate cyberattacks against corporations and governments. WSJ’s Sam Schechner reports on the inflection point for hackers’ use of AI. Disney’s shares fell after a quarterly earnings report that fell short of Wall Street’s expectations. And California is eyeing a first-of-its-kind tax on billionaires. WSJ’s Paul Kiernan unpacks the ballot initiative for a wealth tax that’s already run into steep opposition. Sabrina Siddiqui hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices