WSJ's Take On the Week

Interest rates are up, and high-yield savings accounts are back— so why is so much of your cash still under-earning? In this episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried explore why it’s time to rethink where your money sits and treat cash as a true asset class. But first, Telis and Miriam explore how high interest rates are impacting the economy, from commercial real estate to private equity. Plus, they preview upcoming earnings from big banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and more. Then, MaxMyInterest founder Gary Zimmerman joins the show to share practical ways to unlock higher savings yields. Zimmerman shares his perspective on how to think about where you put your cash in this high-rate environment. Plus: will AI change the banking landscape and how we manage our deposits? This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Miriam Gottfried and Heard on the Street columnist Jonathan Weil break down why U.S. Treasury yields hit their highest levels since 2002, and how the delay of highly anticipated IPOs from AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic could reshape the market. Next, they analyze whether these postponements are solely driven by AI safety concerns or if they signal broader weakness in the IPO market. After the break, former SEC enforcement attorney Marc Steinberg joins the show to explain why the SEC’s controversial proposal to allow publicly held companies to elect semi-annual reporting could impact U.S. capital markets. He details the mechanical risks of this shift, arguing that reduced mandatory disclosure could trigger a wave of financial fraud and strip away essential investor protections. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Miriam Gottfried is joined by guest co-host and WSJ markets reporter Sam Goldfarb to break down the unprecedented surge in the 10-year Treasury yield. Meghan Swiber, U.S. rates strategist at Bank of America, joins the show to discuss what influences these yields, and how a 5% yield affects everyday borrowing costs including mortgage rates, which are again topping 7%. Swiber unpacks the Treasury Department's surprising buybacks, and how this strategy compares to the actions the Federal Reserve took to mitigate the effects of the last financial crisis. Plus, how is the market reacting to the Fed, which is trying to battle inflation by hiking rates? This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead. Have an idea for a…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried break down the conversation around AI safety and development, and how markets have reacted. Plus, OpenAI is now expected to have its initial public offering next year instead of this year. Will Anthropic follow suit? They also analyze the Federal Reserve's recent unanimous decision to hike interest rates, the mechanical impact of 10-year Treasury yields crossing 5%, and how these macroeconomic shifts are reshaping the bond market. Next, Jefferies equity analyst Jon Petersen joins the show to explain how rising interest rates and limited supply are impacting real estate investment trusts (REITs). They also discuss the impact of AI on the sector. Are companies like Digital Realty and Equinix poised to fare well in the data center buildout? What about industrial REITs like Prologis and Stag Industrial? Plus, Petersen breaks down why the REIT sector could be a healthy safe haven for investors if the AI bubble bursts. News…

Despite a rough past week for the healthcare sector, pharmaceuticals and biotech stocks have outperformed the S&P 500 this year. Investors have gotten excited over cancer treatment breakthroughs for Moderna, Merck and Revolution Medicines—plus regulatory shakeups at the FDA. But is market hype running ahead of reality? Can the rally last? On this week’s episode, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried are joined by WSJ’s Heard on the Street columnist David Wainer to discuss how AI and competition from China are shifting the market, where pharma M&A is headed next, and how everyday investors should navigate the sector. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead. Have an idea for a future guest or episode? How can we better help you take on the week? We’d love to hear…

On this week’s episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, host Miriam Gottfried and guest host Aaron Back, editor of WSJ’s Heard on the Street, preview the upcoming employment and inflation releases in advance of the Federal Open Market Committee’s September policy meeting. They analyze why these economic indicators will draw heightened focus under Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh. Then Miriam and Aaron dig into Nvidia’s recent blowout earnings and whether we will see that echo in Broadcom’s earnings this week. Next, Dan Rasmussen, founder and portfolio manager at Verdad Advisers, offers insight into the past year's small-cap stock surge following an extended period of underperformance relative to mega-caps. Rasmussen explains why private equity firms face a massive exit logjam from acquisitions of small companies due to inflated valuations. Finally, we ask Rasmussen: does value investing still work? This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos preview the upcoming Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium—one of the longest-standing central banking conferences in the world. They are joined by Columbia Business School professor and former Federal Reserve Governor Frederic Mishkin, as well as the Journal’s Chief Economics Correspondent Nick Timiraos, to break down Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s major move away from explicit forward guidance. Together, they discuss why Wall Street is reacting with a "mini inflation scare" and rising long-bond yields, whether Warsh’s less-is-more communication strategy could undermine Fed credibility, and how his approach compares to Alan Greenspan’s legendary tenure. Plus, they examine what central bankers and investors need to watch for as Warsh prepares for his high-stakes speech in Wyoming. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, we dig into Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, or TIPS! Our co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos are joined by Jill Cetina, finance professor at Texas A&M University and former official at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the Treasury Department. Together, they analyze the latest inflation data and what it could mean for TIPS if Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh changes the CPI calculation. Later, Cetina explains why shorter-duration TIPS ladders and I bonds offer better risk protection than long-dated bonds, and why heavy Treasury bill issuance threatens market stability. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead. Have an idea for a future guest or episode? How can we better help you take on the…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos dig into the shifting sentiment away from AI stocks and the pivot into consumer sectors. Are we heading into a new business-led economy, or will it continue to be a consumer-led economy? Before that, the hosts analyze the fallout from SpaceX earnings report and break down the evolving appetite for potential future IPOs for companies like OpenAI or Anthropic. They also set the stage for earnings reports coming out later this month from companies like Home Depot, Target and Lowe’s. Plus, Wells Fargo’s Chief Equity Strategist Ohsung Kwon joins the show to break down the massive, overlooked impact of tariff refunds on consumer staples earnings. He also explains why the cycle of capital expenditures in AI is acting as a vital engine for the broader U.S. economy, and why AI job replacement fears may be significantly overstated. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street,…

In this episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos is joined by guest co-host and Wall Street Journal reporter David Uberti to break down the Federal Reserve’s latest moves, and what oil’s volatile pricing—exacerbated by the U.S.-Iran conflict—might mean for inflation and the Fed going forward. Then, BCA Research’s chief commodities strategist Roukaya Ibrahim joins the show to break down what’s behind oil’s volatile pricing. They discuss what current geopolitical tensions mean for oil and whether recent inventory data suggests a looming supply crunch. Plus, Ibrahim explains why the traditional link between gold and inflation has fractured, and how oil price shocks may impact the Fed. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead. Have an idea for a future…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, host Telis Demos and guest host Spencer Jakab, the Wall Street Journal’s investing columnist and writer of the Markets A.M. newsletter, are joined by Kaitlin Hendrix, asset allocation research director at global investment firm Dimensional Fund Advisors, to decode investors' surging interest in private markets. They break down how investors may already have exposure in their investment portfolios to private companies like Anthropic, Stripe and Flipkart, through holdings in companies like Alphabet's Google, Amazon and Nvidia. Hendrix explains why your public index fund might already provide the diversification you’re looking for, without the high fees. Plus, Jakab explains the way that big tech’s private company investments are boosting earnings to near-unprecedented levels. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos are joined by Brent Sullivan, founder of Tax Alpha Insider, to dive into a hot, over $150 billion investing strategy called “tax-aware long-short.” This strategy aims to help wealthy investors beat the market while lowering their tax bill by using leverage and short selling to actively harvest losses. Sullivan breaks down how this compares to other forms of tax-loss harvesting and whether the strategy is worth the risk (and cost) for the average investor. He also explains other ways investors can implement tax-aware investing in their own portfolios. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, writer for WSJ’s Heard on the Street, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead. Have an idea for a future guest or episode? How can we better help you take on the…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos preview earnings from Taiwan’s flagship chip maker, TSMC. They also break down why this coming week’s earnings from Johnson & Johnson, UnitedHealth Group and Abbott Laboratories won’t do much to save healthcare from its negative earnings growth expectations. Then, Miriam and Telis are joined by Christine Short, head of research at Wall Street Horizon, which is part of the financial-services company TMX Group, to decode why analysts’ corporate earnings expectations are reaching exuberant highs. They ask: How are companies achieving such strong results without massive revenue growth, and are those gains sustainable? Plus, Short explains how the AI buildout is reshaping corporate efficiency. They also discuss how companies like BJ’s Wholesale, FedEx and Nike are managing tariff refunds and what that has meant for consumers. They talk about what to expect from this week’s bank earnings, with JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Bank…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos dig into this past week’s tech selloff and how the market’s volatility reflected serious questions about spending for the AI buildout. They also look at how semiconductor players like Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron are navigating the noise, and why even deep-pocketed tech titans like Meta are tapping the debt markets. They talk about how SpaceX’s bond sale reflects a broader trend of companies borrowing to fund AI infrastructure. Another strategy to fund AI? Cutting jobs. They break down the latest AI-fueled layoffs from Oracle, and whether this week’s U.S. jobs numbers will tell us anything about the state of AI job replacement. They examine the trend of corporate tech pivots, highlighting Allbirds’ radical shift to AI infrastructure and its rebranding as Smartbird. Plus, Miriam and Telis are joined by health-tech analyst Stephanie Davis to assess whether consumer health companies make good public companies. They ask:…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, host Telis Demos and Heard on the Street columnist Jonathan Weil sit down with Kevin Koharki, principal at CAE Consulting and professor at Purdue University, to pull back the curtain on the opaque world of tech companies’ financial statements. They dig into why the massive infrastructure spend on AI data centers might be obscuring other fundamental corporate costs, specifically stock-based compensation. Koharki explains why tech giants like Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia and Google’s parent company Alphabet need to provide clearer financial reporting. He breaks down the challenge investors face in distinguishing between necessary AI capital expenditure and other underlying costs, and why greater transparency is critical to accurately valuing these businesses in the current market. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos break down the historic launch of SpaceX, the biggest initial public offering ever, which priced at $135 a share before popping 11% to open at $150 on Friday. The share price rose steadily after that, closing up 19%. Meanwhile, Tesla shares were volatile, though they ended higher on the day. Plus, the hosts look ahead to a major milestone at the Federal Reserve as Kevin Warsh presides over his first meeting as Fed chairman. After the break, Owen Lamont, senior vice president and portfolio manager at Acadian Asset Management, breaks down whether the sudden rush to include mega-cap companies such as SpaceX into major indexes like the Nasdaq 100 and Russell 1000—often through specific rule changes—is a signal that the market is beginning to overheat. Then, they discuss the risks of buying into IPOs, particularly those with small floats (that is, a company’s available shares to trade) or lack of profitability. He explains…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos break down the unconventional lead-up to the SpaceX IPO. They examine the rocket maker's choice to propose a single price of $135 a share this past week, rather than a range, which set the valuation at around $1.77 trillion. The hosts also discuss the number of shares being offered to retail investors and the broader IPO boom—including Anthropic and OpenAI—that is poised to impact passive index investors. After the break, they are joined by NYU Stern School of Business professor Aswath Damodaran, widely known as the "Dean of Valuation" or the "Valuation Guru." Damodaran dissects SpaceX's estimated more than $28 trillion total addressable market, calling the around $26 trillion portion tied to AI more of a "wish than an expectation." He talks about the risks of investing in a founder-controlled company like SpaceX, where Elon Musk retains the majority of the voting rights due to its share structure. He also explains…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos is joined by Heard on the Street editor Aaron Back to discuss the economy, inflation, and the appointment of the new Federal Reserve chairman Kevin Warsh. They are joined by Joe Lavorgna, Americas chief economist at SMBC and a former counselor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Lavorgna argues that the Fed has an inflation problem that is so entrenched that it calls for a hike. Lavorgna breaks down how massive fiscal stimulus and the recent supply shock from the Iran War and the Strait of Hormuz closure have pushed inflation higher, making a disinflationary boom unlikely. He addresses the question of whether AI-induced productivity will be disinflationary, and how we’ll know. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance—the big trades,…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos analyze the K-shaped economy, contrasting flourishing corporate capital expenditures—driven by massive AI investment from companies like Nvidia—with the struggling consumer economy. They discuss Nvidia's risks ahead of its earnings this upcoming week, including rising chip costs and the troubles of its key customer OpenAI. The discussion shifts to soaring wholesale prices rising faster than consumer prices all while pressuring corporate margins. They also look ahead to earnings reports from retailers Target and Walmart, and preview earnings for Home Depot and Lowe's, which face headwinds from high mortgage rates and a muted spring housing market. After the break, Adam Josephson, founder of consumer-focused research company Sakonnet Research, joins the show to explain the disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street. He argues that a buoyant financial economy, where large banks are seeing asset growth from lending to…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos discuss what’s beyond the surge in semiconductor companies like Broadcom and Micron. They examine economist Ed Yardeni’s "Buzz Lightyear theory"—which says that demand for compute power will increase to infinity and beyond—that has led to S&P 500 earnings growth expectations surpassing the 2000 tech bubble peak. Plus, they analyze the impact of the fatal hantavirus outbreak on cruise-line stocks. After the break, billionaire philanthropist and former energy trader John Arnold joins Miriam and Telis at a live taping of the show at the WSJ’s Future of Everything event. Arnold offers an analysis of how the U.S.-Iran conflict is shaping oil markets and discusses the factors preventing crude oil from reaching initial forecasts of $150 to $200 a barrel. He details how the Iran war underscores America's energy-security strengths, which should prompt hyperscalers to prioritize the U.S. for data-center expansion over Middle…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried examine the shifting power dynamics at the Federal Reserve as Kevin Warsh’s chair nomination moves toward confirmation. Then, they break down some of the biggest earnings reports from this week, including private markets giants Apollo Management, KKR, and Sixth Street Specialty Lending. Plus, they look ahead to Disney and McDonald’s earnings, and talk about how these companies are keeping up with consumers. Josh Brown, CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management and co-host of The Compound and Friends podcast, explains his "HALO" framework—Heavy Assets, Low Obsolescence—and why the era of "capital light" software dominance is facing an existential threat from AI. Brown details why physical incumbents like Caterpillar, McDonalds, and Walmart are emerging as the preferred AI trades, as investors seek refuge in companies with physical moats that cannot be replicated by large language models. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos look at why the Magnificent Seven stocks—including Microsoft, Meta, and Google parent Alphabet—are losing their luster. Are investors finally demanding to see results from AI spending, or are they content with the continued AI infrastructure spending? Then, they dive into the residential real-estate cycle, where we’ve seen national rent growth hit a decade low. Could deeply discounted multifamily Real Estate Investment Trusts, or REITs, be the value play of the year? Then, Telis and Miriam confront prediction markets, which have been in the news lately for high-profile arrests of insiders accused of trading on confidential information. They are joined by former Susquehanna International Group trader Andrew Courtney, co-founder of prediction markets platform Kalshinomics, who digs into the mechanics of these zero-sum contracts, insider trading and the ongoing legal battles with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos take off with a conversation on airlines. Alaska, Southwest, United and American are all reporting this upcoming week. Telis and Miriam get into how these carriers are dealing with skyrocketing fuel prices. Plus, they explore why luxury giants like LVMH and Kering are cooling even as the S&P 500 clears the 7,000 mark. They also talk about the mounting political drama surrounding the nomination of Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve. After the break, Miriam and Telis are joined by Wendy Edelberg, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank to get into how an immigration crackdown may explain why the U.S. jobs numbers have been so volatile. Edelberg explains why traditional job growth numbers are no longer a reliable gauge of economic health and why a "breakeven" rate of zero jobs might actually signal a strong market under the current immigration policy shift, and…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, host Miriam Gottfried and guest host Peter Rudegeair are joined by prominent short seller Carson Block, CEO of Muddy Waters Capital, who explains how AI is poised to fundamentally reshape society, the economy and global markets. With hyperscalers like Google, Microsoft and Meta Platforms continuing to dominate major indices and the Federal Reserve maintaining a wait-and-see position, are we finally entering a short sellers’ market? Block breaks down what he sees as the inherent fragility of a market dominated by passive investing and argues that AI-driven job displacement could trigger a historic market correction. After the break, the conversation turns to the world of private credit, where Block sees practices that he finds troubling. He also weighs in on the SEC’s proposal to eliminate quarterly reporting requirements and whether such a move would hinder or help the work of short sellers. Finally, we look at Block’s rare long position in Snowline Gold, a…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos break down the math behind current oil price fluctuations and what the market is signaling about the duration of the Iran conflict. Food manufacturers and producers ConAgra Brands, Cal-Maine Foods and McCormick are reporting their earnings this upcoming week. Will these companies continue to pass on some of their high expenses to customers or will they absorb the rising costs? And a couple of the show’s listeners share their takes on the oil vs. gold portfolio hedge. After the break, Telis and Miriam are joined by Eric Fine, portfolio manager and head of active emerging market debt at global investment management firm VanEck. Fine explains the concept of fiscal dominance and why he believes the roles of developed and emerging markets have reversed. He makes the case for why bonds for countries like Brazil and Colombia may now offer more stability than U.S. Treasurys. Plus, they discuss why some emerging-markets…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried analyze the Federal Reserve’s latest decision to hold rates steady—and the surprising shift in market expectations toward a potential hike. They break down Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s take on the Misery Index and whether stagflation is truly returning this year. The hosts also discuss what to watch for at the upcoming CERAWeek energy conference. After the break, Miriam and Telis are joined by Natasha Kaneva, head of global commodities research at JPMorgan. Kaneva explains the math behind why oil could hit a $125 ceiling and why $90 marks the red line for global demand destruction. She details China's push for energy self-sufficiency, and shares critical advice for your summer travel plans. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise and dive into markets, the…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried discuss how attacks in the Strait of Hormuz are sending shockwaves through the markets and pushing oil prices higher. They analyze how the most recent jobs report showing a 92,000 job loss in February – and rising inflation fears – have complicated the Federal Reserve’s mandate. Plus, the hosts look at how some of our listeners and viewers are adapting their portfolios to respond to the war in Iran. After the break, Miriam and Telis are joined by James Stavridis, vice chairman of the Carlyle Group and a retired U.S. Navy Admiral, to discuss the tactical options and economic impact of a blockade by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. The Admiral explains that it’s not just oil that won’t get through the strait. He outlines the investment opportunities emerging from the crisis, including unmanned naval drones and AI-driven warfare to the expanding role of private credit in the defense sector. Also, he shares three…

In this week’s episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried discuss why a surge in oil prices following U.S. strikes on Iran is fueling fresh inflation fears, and how the potential for a supply shock at the Strait of Hormuz could tie the Federal Reserve’s hands on interest-rate cuts. Next, our hosts analyze why we see some investors rotating back into enterprise software stocks such as Oracle and Adobe, both of which will report earnings in the coming week. After the break, Marion Laboure, senior strategist and managing director at Deutsche Bank, joins the show to explain why bitcoin and gold are no longer correlated. She breaks down the wishful thinking that drove crypto valuations, explains why she views bitcoin less as a currency and more as an asset, and discusses how investors are viewing digital assets like bitcoin and stablecoins as part of an investment portfolio. Plus, how a new section in the proposed Clarity Act has banks and crypto exchanges debating over…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried are joined by Rob Kaplan, vice chairman at Goldman Sachs and a former Federal Reserve president, to break down some big topics in markets. They discuss the market's reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Trump administration's tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Then Kaplan explains why investors are repositioning into "HALO" stocks—short for Heavy Assets, Low Obsolescence—like McDonald’s, Walmart and ExxonMobil. After the break, the conversation turns to the Federal Reserve’s new look at mortgage-market regulations and how freeing up bank capital could unleash funding in the housing market. Finally, Kaplan previews the March Fed meeting and the philosophical debate that will loom over the central bank under its potential new leadership: Should it wait to have inflation data in-hand or rely more on forecasting? This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos,…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Miriam Gottfried and guest host Dan Gallagher, a tech columnist for Heard on the Street, chat with Jefferies software analyst Brent Thill about the recent turbulence in the business software market. They talk about the growing fears that AI will replace the need for traditional software-as-a-service, or SaaS, platforms like Intuit, Salesforce, and Workday. They analyze how the narrative around AI "vibe coding"—where businesses generate their own apps using simple text prompts—has led to a sharp selloff in cloud software stocks. They also note other factors weighing on the sector, including tech layoffs and the shift away from seat-based software pricing models and toward consumption-based metrics. After the break, Thill explains why he thinks the market's fears over AI disrupting major enterprise software are overblown. They explore why large companies won't trust AI with critical systems for payroll, accounting or taxes. Then Thill makes the case for…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos are joined by Frances Donald, chief economist at Royal Bank of Canada, to break down the K-shaped economy, where different groups are thriving financially while others struggle. They ask: How could Walmart hit a trillion-dollar market capitalization despite consumer sentiment near record lows? Next, Donald analyzes what could be hiding the true health of the American household, from front-loading purchases ahead of potential tariffs to buy now, pay later programs. After the break, Donald explains how the U.S. can sustain growth despite a massive wave of Boomer retirements. Then Donald breaks down why AI may no longer be a threat to the workforce but a necessary rescue for a shrinking labor pool. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s investing and wealth management reporter, cut through the noise and dive into markets,…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, our hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried get into why the market still hasn’t made up its mind on Kevin Warsh’s nomination as the Federal Reserve chair, and why gold and silver trades fell on the news. Then Telis says he’ll be looking at Coinbase and Robinhood’s earnings this week to help make sense of bitcoin's falling value. Our hosts then break down the software selloff that followed Anthropic’s release of new legal tools. After the break, Miriam is joined by Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst, at WSJ Invest Live. They discuss his investment philosophy in the age of AI. Taneja explains why he waited for a $60 billion valuation to invest in Anthropic and shares his view on why market bubbles can actually be a force for good. He also provides his view on how AI and robotics could challenge every human skill within the next 20 to 30 years. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, and…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried are joined by WSJ economics reporter Justin Lahart to discuss why gold has smashed records, and how global instability and the "Sell America" trade has fueled the rally. Next, they look ahead to Amazon’s earnings to see if the e-commerce giant can prove AI investments are boosting the bottom line, as Meta did, or if ongoing layoffs signal deeper issues in the labor market. Justin also previews this week’s jobs report and explains why an upcoming benchmark revision might rewrite our understanding of the past year's job growth. Then after the break, Telis and Justin are joined by Erik Brynjolfsson, director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab, to unpack whether AI is actually killing jobs. Brynjolfsson shares his research into how his research has found a decline in entry-level roles, but argues a productivity boom is imminent. Later, we ask him a fun question written by Google’s Gemini app. This is WSJ’s Take On the…

We are knee deep into earnings season, and WSJ’s Take On the Week co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried dive right into what companies they’ll be keeping an eye on this week. Our hosts compare the divergent strategies of Chevron and ExxonMobil as they navigate geopolitical instability in Venezuela and a push for cheap oil from President Trump. Telis and Miriam highlight some rising and and not-so-rising stars in the AI story: Seagate and Meta. Then they look at the return of the “Sell America” trade amid recent policy volatility and tariffs After the break, Miriam is joined by Greg Peters, co-chief investment officer for public fixed income at PGIM, the asset management business of Prudential Financial, to discuss the risks facing the bond market. Peters explains why the market shrugged off recent concerns over Fed independence. Next, he shares how he hedges the winner-take-all risk in the AI buildout. And finally, Peters shares his biggest concern as an investor over the next year. This is WSJ’s Take On…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, Telis Demos and Gunjan Banerjii—in her final appearance as regular co-host—are joined by incoming co-host Miriam Gottfried. Our trio get into the high-stakes bidding war between Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros. Discovery and why Netflix shareholders may be skeptical of the deal. Then the hosts dive into the historic rally in gold and silver, and whether the debasement trade is back after news of an investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Plus, they look at what upcoming earnings might reveal about how President Trump’s affordability agenda is playing out. After the break, Telis and Miriam are joined by Monica Guerra, head of U.S. policy at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, to discuss how investors should position themselves for a midterm election year. Guerra explains that gridlock in Congress has historically led to market outperformance. She also shares a bold prediction that the Supreme Court could strike down President Trump’s…

In this special edition of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Miriam Gottfried and WSJ banking reporter Alexander Saeedy go inside the high-stakes world of HBO’s financial television drama “Industry.” They are joined by Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, former bankers turned co-creators of the show, to unpack how real-world market dynamics inspire the series. Down and Kay reflect on their early careers at Morgan Stanley and Rothschild, and explain why season 4 shifts away from the fictional trading floor of Pierpoint to the new frontiers of fintech, short selling and media. The group compares the financial series’ plotlines to real-world reporting on 100-hour workweeks and the mental health toll on junior bankers. They also take a look at the gamification of finance—from meme stocks to Polymarket—how a new generation is redefining risk, and the "cult of personality" driving financial fraud. Later, the creators weigh in on a hypothetical "cutthroat" trade: How would the show’s characters Harper Stern and Eric Tao play…

AI’s surge in demand for memory and storage drove some of 2025’s biggest stock market winners, including hard-drive makers Seagate Technology and Western Digital, and AI chip maker Micron Technology. Retail trading platform Robinhood also put up a blockbuster year and made its S&P 500 debut. And the bidding war by Netflix and Paramount for Warner Bros. Discovery propelled the entertainment giant into a top market performer. Not all companies fared as well, with those tied to health care and consumer brands flagging through last year. A major reset of expectations in October cratered Fiserv’s stock, putting the payment processing company near the bottom of the barrel. What awaits in the year ahead? For our first episode of 2026, co-host Telis Demos along with WSJ Heard on the Street Editor Aaron Back and Heard Columnist David Wainer tackle audience questions about what to expect for the year and offer their own predictions for investors and the U.S. economy. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where we cut through…

In this week’s episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest host WSJ Chief Economics Correspondent Nick Timiraos are joined by Beth Hammack, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, to discuss the state of the U.S economy, interest rates and the central bank itself. Hammack shares her views on what she’s hearing from businesses in her district and what that could mean for consumer prices and the labor market. She emphasizes the importance of Fed independence and the chairman’s role in fusing differing viewpoints to create stable monetary policy. She also offers her perspective on the so-called neutral rate as well as artificial intelligence. At the end of the episode, Telis and Nick analyze the interview, offering their takes on the outlook for tariffs, inflation and jobs. They also break down what influence the new Fed chair will have on the central bank’s rate-setting committee and how markets may react to the nominee. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where we cut through the…

This week we’re bringing you an episode of our sister podcast What’s News Sunday, a weekly show tackling the big questions about the biggest stories in the news. In this week’s special episode, Lingling Wei, WSJ’s Chief China Correspondent, focuses on how China has been making major inroads on the technology front from artificial intelligence to autonomous driving, complicating its relationship with the U.S. She is joined by Peter Landers, WSJ’s Asia Business Editor, and Victor Wang, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist to address audience questions related to this dynamic tech race.

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest host Hannah Erin Lang discuss the Federal Reserve's recent rate cut and whether further easing is expected in 2026. They get into the upcoming CPI report, which is expected to show stubborn inflation, and how that could pressure consumer stocks like Nike and General Mills. The hosts also look at the busy slate of global central bank decisions from the EU, the U.K., and Japan — highlighting how a potential rate hike from the Bank of Japan could impact the U.S. dollar. They also discuss whether the latest jobs report reveals the growing impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market? After the break, Telis is joined by Ajay Rajadhyaksha, global chairman of research at Barclays, to explore the relationship between AI and the economy. Rajadhyaksha explains why he doesn’t see AI causing net job losses yet, but rather a slowdown in new hiring and wage pressure. He argues that the huge amount of AI spending is keeping the economy…

In this week’s episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos is joined by WSJ markets reporter Hannah Erin Lang to discuss the return of investor optimism as the S&P 500 approaches all-time highs ahead of the FOMC’s upcoming meeting. They also analyze the next test for the AI trade: earnings from Oracle and Adobe this week. Plus, the U.S. dollar is sliding as the Federal Reserve prepares to cut rates while Japan signals hikes. The hosts discuss how this could drive capital abroad. After the break, Telis sits with Nate Wuerffel, head of market structure and product head for the global collateral platform at BNY, to discuss the Fed’s other big decision: How large a balance sheet should it maintain? Wuerffel, a former New York Fed official, explains the mechanics of quantitative tightening and the risks of "scarce” reserves. They explore how liquidity in the "plumbing" of the financial system affects everyday consumers through higher mortgage costs and discuss the importance of a liquid Treasury market…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest host Hannah Erin Lang discuss the volatility of the AI trade and how Nvidia's earnings report at least somewhat helped restore investors’ faith. They analyze new signals from retailers, including those who recently reported earnings, such as Target and Walmart, about the K-shaped U.S. consumer economy and the uneven spending patterns heading into the crucial Black Friday and holiday season. The hosts also note that the recent market choppiness, which saw gold and bitcoin fall, highlights the impact of the AI trade on the broader market. Upcoming earnings from companies like Dell Technologies, which has talked about AI as a driver, and consumer-staples companies and retailers, including J.M. Smucker, Kohl's and Abercrombie & Fitch, will provide further reads on both AI and the health of the consumer. After the break, Telis talks with Luca Paolini, chief strategist at Pictet Asset Management, to discuss why U.S. investors should…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos discuss the lingering economic impact of the U.S. government shutdown and why a lack of crucial inflation and jobs data is making the outlook murky for the Federal Reserve. Next, Nvidia is set to report its third-quarter earnings this week. And Morgan Stanley estimates that only half of the roughly $3 trillion in global data center spending through 2028 could be funded by projected cash flows. So how are tech companies going to fund the rest? Then after the break, Telis is joined by Guy LeBas, chief fixed income strategist at wealth management and investment banking firm Janney Montgomery Scott, to explore how the AI revolution will be financed. Oracle, Meta and Google parent Alphabet have made bond offerings valued in the tens of billions. LeBas explains that the trillions needed to help fund data centers will force tech hyperscalers to issue massive new debt, potentially increasing the size of the corporate bond…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest host Miriam Gottfried discuss the Supreme Court case challenging President Trump's reciprocal tariffs and how that’s playing out in the markets. Next, they look at affordability as the winning message from recent elections, such as Zohran Mamdani’s successful campaign to be the next mayor of New York City. Plus, they explore the recent drama in the private credit market after executives at Blackstone downplayed the “cockroach” fears sparked by JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. After the break, Miriam is joined by Michael Nathanson and Robert Fishman, senior media analysts at MoffettNathanson, to break down the potential Paramount Skydance and Warner Discovery merger. First, the analysts explain why global scale is a necessity for traditional media companies to compete with Disney, and big tech giants like Netflix, Amazon and Google’s YouTube. Later, the analysts discuss whether a merger will follow historical examples and fail to…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, guest host Miriam Gottfried speaks with Eric Resnick, CEO of private equity investment manager KSL Capital Partners, about the resilience of the travel and leisure sector. He explains why he sees leisure travel demand as a powerful anchor that allows the sector to defy pressures typically seen during an economic downturn. We dive into the outlook for corporate travel, the challenges facing new hotel construction, the rising experiential economy and what investors should be watching for as lodging companies like Marriott and Airbnb release their earnings this upcoming week. Correction: Hilton Grand Vacations released their earnings on Oct. 30. An earlier version of this podcast incorrectly said it was releasing its earnings this upcoming week. (Corrected on Nov. 3) This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Gunjan Banerji, lead writer for Live Markets, and Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, cut through the noise and dive into…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos discuss market speculation, from the recent sputtering in the gold rally to what to expect from this week's Federal Reserve meeting. Next, Apple is reporting earnings this week, but the company saw a bump after a research report was released saying the company saw strong sales with its latest iPhone. Later, Robinhood has come a long way since the meme stock mania, entering the S&P 500 company earlier this year and knocking on the door of being the largest publicly traded brokerage company. Christian Bolu, a senior analyst at Autonomous Research, joins Telis to dig into how Robinhood has transformed, how it stacks up to its competitors, such as Interactive Brokers, Charles Schwab, Polymarket and even sports betting company FanDuel, and how much more runway the platform has to grow. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Gunjan Banerji, lead writer for Live Markets, and Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos dig into the latest big bank earnings and what they signal about the health of the U.S. consumer. Next, they explore the disconnect between potential economic warning signs and the market’s speculative fever, where the “buy the dip” mentality continues to drive stocks to new records. Finally, they look ahead to the upcoming earnings from Coca-Cola, Keurig Dr Pepper, Colgate-Palmolive, Ford and GM. Then, after the break, Rob Arnott, founder of investment firm Research Affiliates, joins Gunjan to chat about the stock market bubble. Arnott explains his case for why the market is "priced for perfection," and later, he breaks down how government stimulus and the rise of index funds are fueling the rally. And where can investors find opportunities in a frothy market? Arnott has an answer. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Gunjan Banerji, lead writer for Live Markets, and Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos is joined by Miriam Gottfried to tackle gold’s continued rally. They discuss the debate over whether its surge is a bet against the U.S. dollar or simply "catastrophe insurance" against a faltering AI-led stock market. Plus, with the U.S. government shutdown delaying key economic reports, investors are turning to Bank of America, Carlyle Group and likely this week’s bank earnings for clues on the economy's health. After the break, Telis is joined by Chris Whalen, chairman of Whalen Global Advisors, and they get into this week’s coming earnings from JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs and more. Whalen explains why real trouble is brewing for banks in commercial real estate and private equity. And he shares what indicators he is looking out for in their earnings this coming week. This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Gunjan Banerji, lead writer for Live Markets, and Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and…

In both economics and politics, there is a widespread view that central banks should be free of political pressure, with cautionary tales around the world of what happens when politicians meddle: out of control inflation, spiraling debt crises and economic collapse. And with the U.S. Federal Reserve's independence now under attack by President Trump, WSJ chief economics correspondent Nick Timiraos joins business and finance editor Alex Frangos, markets reporter Chelsey Dulaney and senior markets columnist James Mackintosh for our roundtable podcast exploring the impact on today’s investors, markets and the economy. Plus, Nick details the fallout from President Trump’s attempt to remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook and unpacks the historical context of what has shaped our idea of Fed independence, including the Great Depression, World War II and the high inflation of the 1970s. And they discuss how politics can impact the Fed’s goal of regulating the economy and keeping inflation under control. Further Reading Fed…

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos explore how the Federal Reserve’s independence, a government shutdown and volatility around tariffs are driving gold to hit record highs. Then, does videogame maker Electronic Arts’ $55 billion buyout signal a long-awaited M&A boom? Plus, they discuss the “debasement trade” and how concerns over the U.S. dollar are also fueling a rally in bitcoin ETFs issued by firms like BlackRock. Then after the break, Gunjan sits down with Neene Jenkins, head of municipal research at JPMorgan Asset Management, to dive into municipal bonds, which are used to fund infrastructure, highways, sewer systems and school districts. Is higher education issuing more debt because of federal challenges? Later, they discuss the sector's resilience to government shutdowns, and Jenkins answers a key question: How likely is a recession? This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where co-hosts Gunjan Banerji, lead writer for Live Markets, and Telis Demos, Heard…