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Explore every episode of the podcast WSJ's Take On the Week

Dive into the complete episode list for WSJ's Take On the Week. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
A Breakthrough Cancer Vaccine Fueled a Biotech Rally. Can It Last?13 Sep 202600:30:38

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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Exclusive | Cheap Biologic Drug Alternatives Stall, Threatening U.S. Healthcare Savings

Hype for Moderna’s Cancer Vaccine Is Running Ahead of the Math

China is a Threat to Biotech’s Massive Bull Run


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


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How AI Speculation Is Fueling the Small-Cap Stock Rally30 Aug 202600:29:20

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Inflation Was 3.4% in July, Down Slightly From the Previous Month

Fed’s Preferred Inflation Gauge Remains Above Target Range

Nvidia Reports Blowout Quarter, Says Demand for AI Chips Is Getting Even Hotter

Nvidia’s $279 Billion Supply-Chain Gamble

Nvidia Has Become a Banker to the AI Boom, Putting It on Dangerous Ground

Private-Equity Firms Are Sitting on a Nine-Year Backlog

A Better Mousetrap for Buying Small Stocks

Moderna Shares More Than Double on Success of mRNA Cancer Vaccine


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


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What Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s Jackson Hole Debut Means for Nervous Markets23 Aug 202600:32:26

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh’s Honeymoon With the Bond Market Is Already Over

Kevin Warsh Invokes Alan Greenspan to Shrink the Fed—and Strengthen Its Chair

Warsh Opens Press Conference Reaffirming Commitment to 2% Inflation 

Bessent Leans Into His Role as America’s Bond Trader in Chief 


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How to Make Inflation Work for Your Portfolio16 Aug 202600:35:41

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 week? We’d love to hear from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

These Bonds Offer a Rare Buying Opportunity

Inflation Was 3.4% in July, Down Slightly From the Previous Month - WSJ 

The CPI and Inflation, Explained


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How AI Spending Is Fueling the Economy Overall09 Aug 202600:35:24

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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Wall Street Thinks It Knows How Tech Giants Will Make AI Pay  

SpaceX Needs to Make Its Bigger Rockets Work  


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why Oil Prices Could Hit a Breaking Point by Year End02 Aug 202600:34:59

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 guest or episode? How can we better help you take on the week? We’d love to hear from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Kevin Warsh Asked the Market to Speak. It Answered.

Two Wars Put Stranglehold on Global Energy Supplies

U.S. Emergency Oil Reserve Hits Lowest Levels Since 1983: Why It Matters


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here.
 


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The Buried $150B Bet Inside the Top 20 U.S. Stocks26 Jul 202600:32:30

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Earnings Forecasts Are on Steroids


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter, written by our guest host: Spencer Jakab. 


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here.


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How This $150B+ Wall Street Strategy Could Lower Your Taxes19 Jul 202600:34:47

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 week? We’d love to hear from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading


Stock Gains Without All the Taxes? How the Hottest Trade on Wall Street Works


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here.


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Are Corporate Earnings in a Bubble? This Quarter Is a Test12 Jul 202600:37:45

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 of America and others slated to report. Then the hosts examine the broader market’s health and what the Late Earnings Report Index, or LERI, which tracks when companies report later than expected, might be signaling about future volatility.

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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

Honey, I Shrank the Cash Flow

Jet-Fuel Prices Have Plunged but Aren’t Resulting in Much Lower Fares

Meta Rakes It In, Yet Still Borrows Billions for AI

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can Hot Consumer Companies Like Oura and Whoop Make Good IPOs?28 Jun 202600:39:04

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: Can health-tech wearables startups like Oura or Whoop be sustainable on their own, or are they better off absorbed by tech giants like Apple or Amazon? They break down consumer health companies’ failures of the past, including Fitbit’s meteoric rise and eventual acquisition by Google’s parent Alphabet. They also look at the broader "graveyard" of companies—from Peloton and GoPro to Roomba and Bird scooters—to see if any can replicate the rare, long-term success of a giant like Garmin. 


Heads up, we’re taking a break next week! We’ll be back in your feeds July 12.


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com 


Further Reading

Crazy Rich Returns Lure Cabbies and Even Kids to Red-Hot Asian Markets 

Oura Rings Maker Files Confidentially for IPO After $11 Billion Valuation

The Wearable Boom Is Real. The Investment Case Is Murkier 


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

​How Big Tech’s Financials Obscure the True Cost of the AI Buildout21 Jun 202600:28:51

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

Meta Rakes It In, Yet Still Borrows Billions for AI 

Turbocharged Earnings Are Pushing Stocks Higher. There’s a Catch.

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Hidden Risks of Buying Into Mega-IPOs Like SpaceX14 Jun 202600:33:58

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 what he calls the "third horseman of the bubble apocalypse" and whether current IPO plans for Anthropic and OpenAI are the beginning of a larger, potentially dangerous market trend. 


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Is it Worth Investing in Unprofitable Companies? We Ran the Numbers  

For a Select Few, IPOs Are Winners. Good Luck to Everyone Else.

A Guide to Buying SpaceX Shares via Your Brokerage Account
SpaceX Shares Closed Up 19% in Historic Debut as Musk Becomes First Trillionaire 


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

NYU’s ‘Dean of Valuation’: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Isn’t Worth $1.77 Trillion07 Jun 202600:36:58

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 why momentum for the company’s stock could matter more than valuation.

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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

A Guide to Buying SpaceX Shares via Your Brokerage Account 

Why It Matters if OpenAI or Anthropic Wins the IPO Race

Terms Revealed for SpaceX’s Unconventional $75 Billion IPO

Alphabet’s $80 Billion AI Fundraising Push Shows the Value of Being a Public Company

S&P 500 Won’t Change Rules for SpaceX 

FTSE Russell Latest to Make U.S. Index Inclusion Easier Ahead of SpaceX IPO 

SpaceX IPO Could Start a Great Divergence in Index Returns 

Morgan Stanley Sees SpaceX’s Revenue Reaching $3.4 Trillion in 2040

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.
Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why This Ex-Trump Economist Says the Fed Needs to Raise Interest Rates31 May 202600:29:50

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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com.


Further Reading
Trump Picked Warsh for Fed Chair to Cut Rates. Markets Are Bracing for the Opposite.

The Fed Keeps Getting Hit With New Shocks in Its Yearslong Inflation Fight


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From Walmart to Wall Street: Who Is Really Winning in This Economy?17 May 202600:31:57

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 hedge funds and private credit, is masking a deeper consumer weakness. Josephson discusses the gap between corporate earnings and everyone else. He says that while real average weekly earnings have seen little growth, corporate profit margins are at all-time highs. He details how this economic pressure on the consumer is reflected in falling box shipments, the rise of discount retailers, and the growing share of spending on healthcare. He warns that the market is being propped up by excessive financial leverage, and suggests ways investors can think defensively.


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

OpenAI Misses Key Revenue, User Targets in High-Stakes Sprint Toward IPO

Nvidia Is Buying the Chip Supply Chain 

Housing Market’s Spring Is Shaping Up as a Bust After April Sales Were Flat

Elon Musk Testifies He Was a ‘Fool’ to Fund OpenAI

Inflation Soared to 3.8% in April, Driven by Gasoline Prices

Wholesale Inflation Shot Higher in April


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter

Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Billionaire Investor on the Data Center Boom and Oil's Breaking Point10 May 202600:32:27

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 Eastern alternatives. Finally, he talks about a new focus of Arnold Ventures—the call for guardrails on prediction markets and sports betting—arguing that gambling regulation should remain under state jurisdiction rather than the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading:

Memory Makers Are the Hottest Thing in Tech. Are They Making Too Much Money?

Why Almost Everyone Loses—Except a Few Sharks—on Prediction Markets

The 33-Day ‘Atlantic Odyssey’ That Turned Into a Hantavirus Nightmare

U.S. Regulator Sues New York State for Prediction Markets Crackdown

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Josh Brown’s ‘HALO’ Stocks Strategy: Investing in What AI Can’t Replicate03 May 202600:35:43

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 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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Wall Street’s Latest Bet Is on ‘HALO’ Companies With AI Immunity

Wall Street Is Sorting Software Companies Into Winners and Losers

Traders Now See Rate Hike as More Likely Than Rate Cut This Year 

Senate Banking Committee Advances Kevin Warsh to be Next Fed Chair 

Powell to Remain on Fed Board, Citing Legal Pressure From Trump

Private-Credit Warning Signs Flash After Blue Owl Unloads $1.4 Billion in Assets

An Exodus of Money Endangers Wall Street’s Private-Credit Craze


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.
Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


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Prediction Markets: Investing, Gambling or a Haven for Insider Trading?26 Apr 202600:33:55

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 Commission over their classification. Courtney details how professional market makers provide the liquidity that distinguishes them from a bet against the house. And he gives his take on how investors should engage with prediction markets.


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

U.S. Soldier Charged With Using Classified Information to Bet on Maduro’s Ouster 

White House Warns Staff Not to Place Bets on Prediction Markets Amid Iran War

Trio of Polymarket Accounts Made $600,000 Betting on Iran Cease-Fire

Court Sides With Kalshi in Major Ruling for Prediction Markets

The AI Spending Spree Is Far from Over

The U.S. Has More Fancy Apartments Than It Is Able to Fill

Rent Price Increase Puts Market on Path to Landlord-Friendly Environment


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why This Economist Says Immigration Crackdown is Reshaping U.S. Job Growth19 Apr 202600:31:26

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 how the U.S. labor market is becoming like Japan’s. Finally, she offers some insight on why the Fed may need to rethink its calculus on interest rates as job growth potentially turns negative.


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Spirit’s Bankruptcy Exit in Flux as Jet Fuel Prices Surge 

Delta’s Ace in the Hole for Surging Jet Fuel Costs: Its Own Refinery 

How Airline Passengers Are Being Hit by the Jet-Fuel Crunch 

Facing Soaring Fuel Costs, Delta Tells Customers to Plan for Pricier Flights 

Trump’s Fed Chair Pick Kevin Warsh Is Caught in an Unprecedented Standoff 

Wall Street Is Whiffing on Its Economic Forecasts 

Breaking Down the Booming March Jobs Report


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.
Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why Carson Block Says AI and Passive Investing Could Break the Stock Market12 Apr 202600:26:09

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 junior gold mining company. Is this legendary market bear finally embracing his inner bull?


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

What to Do About the Stock Market’s Concentration

What You Should Do About the Stock Market's Giant Problem

Auto-Parts Supplier First Brands Files for Bankruptcy

Jim Chanos, Short Seller Who Took On Enron and Tesla, to Close Hedge Funds

Wall Street’s Pre-Eminent Short Seller Is Calling It Quits

Black Swan Manager Sees Huge Rally, Then 1929-Style Crash

Meme-Stock Investors, Opendoor CEO


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How Emerging-Market Bonds Can Hedge Against U.S. Market Volatility29 Mar 202600:26:57

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 strategies have been abandoned in favor of strict fiscal discipline. 


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Is It Time to Diversify Away From U.S. Stocks Into Global Markets

Grocery Price Inflation: Customer Reactions

Unilever in Talks to Separate Food Business and Combine It With McCormick

Brazil’s Central Bank Cuts Rates; Future Actions Unclear Amid Middle East Conflict


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Will High Oil Prices Kill Demand? Why JPMorgan Says Book Your Travel Now22 Mar 202600:29:57

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Fed Holds Steady and Maintains Rate Cut Projection

How Waiving the Jones Act for Oil Tankers Would Work

Oil Markets' New Reality: The Gulf Disruption Isn’t Going to End Soon

IEA Proposes Largest Ever Oil Release From Strategic Reserves

Persian Gulf Oil Squeeze


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why a Closed Strait of Hormuz Is a ‘Smoking Risk’ for Global Markets15 Mar 202600:28:08

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 scenarios—including a breakthrough in Venezuela—that could bring oil prices back down.


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Central Banks Could Tilt Hawkish as Middle East Conflict Fuels Inflation Risks

U.S. to Release 172 Million Barrels of Oil From Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Oil Prices Continue to Rise Following IEA Release

The Economic Winners and Losers of the Iran War

Fertilizer Stocks Jump with Shipments Stuck at the Strait of Hormuz

CPI Inflation Report February 2026

Iran Lays Mines in the Strait of Hormuz

Hegseth: ‘No Clear Evidence’ Iran Mined Strait of Hormuz


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is Bitcoin Still 'Digital Gold'? How Investors See It Now08 Mar 202600:30:26

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 stablecoin yields… or “rewards.


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Oil Prices Surge, Stocks Fall on Widening Iran War

Investors Dial Back Fed Rate-Cut Bets

Iran Conflict Spurs Rebound in U.S. Borrowing Costs

Trump Urges Swift Passage of Crypto Bill Over Banks’ Objections

Senate Passes Stablecoin Bill in Big Win for Crypto Industry


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Inflation Debate That Will Shape the Fed’s Plans for Interest Rates01 Mar 202600:28:10

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, 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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Global Tariffs

Trump Said He Signed Order for 10% Global Tariff

Trump Boosts New Global Tariff to 15% After Supreme Court Setback

Wall Street’s Latest Bet Is on ‘HALO’ Companies With AI Immunity

Walmart Shares Are Expensive AI Insurance


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Could AI Disruption Fears Trigger a Software M&A Boom?22 Feb 202600:26:59

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 why AI infrastructure and security companies remain safe bets, and why the current tech selloff and depressed valuations are setting the stage for a massive tech M&A boom driven by private-equity firms.


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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Threat of New AI Tools Wipes $300 Billion Off Software and Data Stocks

AI Won’t Kill the Software Business, Just Its Growth Story

What You Need to Know About the AI Models Rattling Markets

Meta Overshadows Microsoft by Showing AI Payoff in Ad Business

Thoma Bravo’s $34 Billion Fundraising Haul Bucks Private-Equity Slowdown

IBM Strikes $11 Billion Deal for Confluent


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Consumer Shock From Tariffs Isn't Over. When Will Prices Peak?15 Feb 202600:29:02

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, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

The Two-Speed Economy Is Back as Low-Income Americans Give Up Gains

Weak Hiring, Layoff Plans Paint a Gloomy Labor-Market Picture

Walmart Reaches $1 Trillion Market Cap as Its E-Commerce Boom


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why This VC Says AI and Robotics Will Put Every Human Job at Risk08 Feb 202600:30:25

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 Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s private equity 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Saying You Want to Shrink the Fed Is One Thing. Doing It Is Another.

Wall Street Can’t Decide Whether Kevin Warsh Will Be a Friend or Foe

Threat of New AI Tools Wipes $300 Billion Off Software and Data Stocks

AI Won’t Kill the Software Business, Just Its Growth Story

The Week Anthropic Tanked the Market and Pulled Ahead of Its Rivals


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


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Will the Next Jobs Report Reveal the Real Cost of AI on Employment?01 Feb 202600:30:47

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 Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s private equity 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

A Weaker Dollar Has Always Been Part of Trump’s Plan

Dollar Gains, Yen Falls, After Bessent Says Strong Currency Is U.S. Policy

Dollar Extends Slide After Trump Says He Isn’t Worried About Declines

Meta Reports Record Sales, Massive Spending Hike on AI Buildout

Amazon to Lay Off Around 16,000 Corporate Employees


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


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The Risks Behind the Expected $5.3T AI Data Center Funding Boom25 Jan 202600:28:31

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 the Week where co-hosts Telis Demos, Heard on the Street’s banking and money columnist, and Miriam Gottfried, WSJ’s private equity 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Chevron’s Dilemma in Venezuela: Support Trump’s Vision Without Losing Money

Trump’s $50 Oil Price Goal Is Doable, but Painful

AI Is Causing a Memory Shortage. Why Producers Aren’t Rushing to Make a Lot More.

Meta Lays Off 1,500 People in Metaverse Division

Trump Calls Off Tariffs on Europe Over Greenland

Japan’s Long-Dated Bond Yields Hit Record Highs


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


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Why This Morgan Stanley Exec Says Tariffs Will Be Struck Down18 Jan 202600:25:15

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 tariffs.

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 private equity 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.
To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

Why Democrats Aren’t Threatening Another Shutdown This Time

The Winners and Losers From 2026’s Mix of Tax and Benefit Cuts

For Years, Powell Avoided Fighting Trump. That’s Over.

Gold Breaks Through $4,600 on Fed Concerns, Haven Boost

Democrats See Path to House Control in 2026

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.
Follow Miriam Gottfried here and Telis Demos here


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HBO’s ‘Industry’ Creators on Banking Culture, Risk, Fraud and Short Selling11 Jan 202600:25:51

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 the Venezuela reopening trade?

Polymarket has a data partnership with Wall Street Journal parent Dow Jones.

This is WSJ’s Take On the Week where we 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

‘Industry’ Season 4 Review: From Banks to Boudoirs on HBO

‘Industry,’ the Hit Show About Finance, Leaves Bankers Scratching Their Heads

How Bank of America Ignores Its Own Rules Meant to Prevent Dangerous Workloads

Bank of America Urges Bankers to Sound Alarm on Overwork After WSJ Investigation

110-Hour Workweeks Drove Young Bankers at a Boutique Firm to the Brink


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WSJ’s Take On the Year: Market Trends to Watch in 202604 Jan 202600:31:50

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

Flood of AI Bonds Adds to Pressure on Markets
Are Stock Analysts Useless?

For Trump, the Warner Megadeal Talks Are All About CNN

Runaway Insurance Costs Bring Back Talk of Price Caps
AI Data Centers, Desperate for Electricity, Are Building Their Own Power Plants

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.
Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.  


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How This Fed Hawk Views the Economy, Inflation, AI and Jobs21 Dec 202500:36:05

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

The Fed's New Rate-Setting Officials for 2026: Three Hawks and a Dove

Fed Officials Spar Over Whether Rate Cuts Risk Credibility on Inflation

Cleveland Fed’s Beth Hammack Skeptical of Further Cuts

‘We Still Have an Inflation Problem.’ A Fed Newcomer Wants to Go Slow on Rate Cuts.

The Fed Did Banks a Solid This Week. More Favors May Be Needed

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.
 


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Inside China’s Pursuit of Tech Dominance–and What It Means for the U.S.18 Dec 202500:16:55

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. 


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Why a Crack in the AI Boom Could Trigger a Recession14 Dec 202500:23:41

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 growing right now. However, he warns that if the AI investment falters, there could be consequences for the U.S. economy. Finally, Ajay offers his take on why investors should look to markets like Japan and Korea for AI opportunities.

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

Tens of Thousands of White-Collar Jobs Are Disappearing as AI Starts to Bite

How the U.S. Economy Became Hooked on AI Spending

More Big Companies Bet They Can Still Grow Without Hiring

The AI Data-Center Boom Is a Job-Creation Bust

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here.


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Why the Fed’s Balance Sheet Matters as Much as Its Interest-Rate Decision07 Dec 202500:26:50

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 preventing crises like 2023’s Silicon Valley Bank failure.

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

The Fed’s Tool for Calming Short-Term Funding Markets Is Being Tested

Fed’s Williams Expects Central Bank to Return to Asset Purchases Soon

The Fed’s $6.6 Trillion Test: When to End Its Portfolio Runoff

A Little Dual Easing Soon Could Help the Fed Avoid Major Easing Later

The Repo Market: What It Is, and Why Everyone Is Talking About It Again


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.
Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here.


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Is It Time to Diversify Away From U.S. Stocks Into Global Markets?23 Nov 202500:27:38

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 diversify their investment portfolios outside of their home market. They explore Pictet’s theory of the “great convergence,” where non-U.S. economies like Germany, Japan and Latin American markets are expected to close the growth gap with the U.S. Paolini makes the case for why the dollar's strength is fading, a key part of the dollar debasement trade, and why the outperformance of the MSCI World Index excluding the U.S. highlights the need for a long-term diversification strategy. He also outlines specific investment opportunities in alternative assets and foreign markets.

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 markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead.

As we look ahead to 2026, what major economic, markets or finance question is top of mind for you? We’d love to hear from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

Further Reading

Here’s Why Stocks Gave Up Their Gains

It’s a Scary World, but Investing Abroad Has New Attractions

Delayed Data Show Strong Hiring, but Offer Little Clarity for Fed

Nvidia’s Strong Results Show AI Fears Are Premature

The Crypto Trades That Amplified Gains Are Now Turbocharging Losses
 

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here.
 


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How Trillions in New AI Debt Will Test the Bond Market16 Nov 202500:25:57

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 market by 20% a year. And he talks about whether the AI bubble could find its way into the bond market.


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 markets, the economy and finance—the big trades, key players and business news ahead.


As we look ahead to 2026, what major economic, markets or finance question is top of mind for you? We’d love to hear from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading


Who Will Pay for the AI Revolution? Retirees

Is the Flurry of Circular AI Deals a Win-Win—or Sign of a Bubble?

Meta Finishes Jumbo Bond Sale; Yield Climbs While Stock Slides

BlackRock Among Biggest Investors in Meta’s Giant Data-Center Debt Deal

AI Borrowing Floods Debt Markets

Big Tech Is Spending More Than Ever on AI and It’s Still Not Enough

Oracle's $18 Billion Bond Sale Meets Strong Investor Demand


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


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Amazon and Netflix Are Winning: Can Old-School Media Compete?09 Nov 202500:30:25

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 generate value for shareholders or whether this time truly is different.


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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Warner Discovery Moving Fast on Split or Sale, CEO Says

Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Trump’s Tariffs

Wall Street Couldn’t Stop Mayor Mamdani. Now It Has to Work With Him.

Private-Credit Earnings Ease Investor Concern Over Asset Class’s Health


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


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How One Investor Is Profiting From Consumers’ Love of Travel02 Nov 202500:21:10

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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.

To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com

For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.

Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.

Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


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Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why This Analyst Says Robinhood Is More Than a Meme Stock26 Oct 202500:22:38

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 and money columnist, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Gold Price Suffers Worst Day in More Than a Decade; Silver, Platinum Drop

Apple Stock Hits New Record on Report of Strong iPhone Sales

FanDuel Places Opening Bet on Promising but Precarious Prediction Markets

NHL Deal With Kalshi, Polymarket Adds to Pressure on Sports-Betting Companies

NYSE Owner to Invest Up to $2 Billion in Polymarket

Not Your Daddy’s Broker: How Robinhood Stacks Up Against Charles Schwab

Robinhood Stock Gets a Prediction Market Boost

Robinhood Markets to Join the S&P 500 Index


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


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Why This Legendary Investor Says We're in a Stock Market Bubble19 Oct 202500:25:40

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 and money columnist, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Big Banks Cash In on Well-Heeled Borrowers

The Nation’s Biggest Banks Are Saying the Economy Is Still Strong

Trump’s Threat on Higher China Tariffs Wipes Out Stocks’ Weekly Gains

U.S., China Aim for a Delicate Balancing Act on Trade

An Unlikely Investing Hack: Why You Can Sleep Soundly and Earn More


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


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If Trouble Is Brewing for Banks, Here's Where to Spot It12 Oct 202500:26:47

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 money columnist, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading:

Gold Prices Top $4,000 for First Time

Gold Screams ‘Debasement Trade.’ Bonds Say Otherwise.

Stocks Fall After Report Raises Concerns About AI Profitability

A New Wall Street Trade Is Powering Gold and Hitting Currencies

The Unofficial Jobs Numbers Are In and It’s Rough Out There

Big Banks Are Spinning Market Chaos Into Gold

Credit-Card Users Are Cautious Now. Rate Cuts Could Open the Floodgates.

Want to Know Where the Economy Is Headed? Look at These Banks


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


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Trump Is Meddling With the Fed. Why Don’t Markets Care?09 Oct 202500:30:50

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 Minutes Reveal Divide Over Outlook for Cuts

The Supreme Court Just Became the Last Line of Defense for Fed Independence

Supreme Court Allows Lisa Cook to Keep Her Job for Now

Fed Independence Reaches Its Moment of Truth as Supreme Court Weighs Cook’s Fate

Powell’s Last Stand: Balancing a Tricky Economy and Intense Political Pressure

Trump Says He Is Removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook

Appeals Court Rejects Trump Request to Remove Fed Governor Lisa Cook

Why the Market Doesn’t Care Much About Trump Firing the Fed’s Cook


Further Podcasts

The Federal Reserve Under Siege

Extreme Inflation From A to Z: Argentina

Extreme Inflation From A to Z: Turkey

Extreme Inflation From A to Z: Zimbabwe


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on the Street Column and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.


Send us an email to let us know what you think of the roundtable format: takeontheweek@wsj.com


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Why This JPMorgan Analyst Says Now Is the Time to Buy Municipal Bonds05 Oct 202500:23:57

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 on the Street’s banking and money columnist, 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Municipal Bonds May Not Remain This Cheap For Long

Are Muni Bonds Still a Darling on Wall Street? It Depends Who You Ask

A Mystery in the High-Yield Muni Market: What Are the Riskiest Bonds Worth?

ETFs Are Flush With New Money. Why Billions More Are Flowing Their Way.

A Once Unstoppable Luxury Housing Market Is Starting to Crack

Electronic Arts Goes Private for $55 Billion in Largest LBO Ever


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


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Will AI Spending Pay Off? Or Are We in a Bubble?02 Oct 202500:32:37

Artificial intelligence spending is hitting epic levels as Big Tech companies shell out for massive data centers to power new chatbots and other AI services. But will the spending--expected to amount to trillions of dollars in the coming years--pay off for investors?


This week on our columnists roundtable, business and finance editor Alex Frangos, markets reporter Chelsey Dulaney and senior markets columnist James Mackintosh are joined by Heard on the Street tech columnist Dan Gallagher to discuss the promise of AI. They discuss the major investment deals announced by Nvidia, OpenAI, Oracle, Microsoft and Alphabet and dig into the use of debt to finance growth, including by companies like CoreWeave, which has emerged as a key player in the data-center buildout. 


Plus, they separate fact from fiction when it comes to comparisons between AI and the dot-com bubble.


And, finally, our panel answers a question from our previous about the tax implications of buying gold.


Further Reading

Spending on AI Is at Epic Levels. Will It Ever Pay Off?

Debt Is Fueling the Next Wave of the AI Boom

What the Dot-Com Bust Can Tell Us About Today’s AI Boom

CoreWeave, Meta Enter $14.2 Billion AI Cloud Infrastructure Deal

Nvidia to Invest Up to $100 Billion in OpenAI

Nvidia Has a Problem: Too Much Money

Oracle Is the New Nvidia, for Better or Worse


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on the Street Column and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Automakers Are Hitting the Brakes on EVs. Will That Help Their Stocks?28 Sep 202500:24:56

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos kick things off by talking about perpetual futures or “perps,” which are offering turbocharged bets on bitcoin. Next, with the September jobs report out this week, they break down what investors should be looking out for beyond the headline number.


Later in the show, Telis is joined by John Murphy, a managing director of strategic advisory at Haig Partners, for a deep dive into what the end of the EV tax subsidy this week could mean for the auto industry. Then, Murphy makes the case for why the best strategy for Ford, Stellantis and GM may be to focus on their truck businesses. Later, Telis asks: Does the end of the EV credit mean a renaissance for the internal combustion engine?


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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Why Ford’s Made-in-America Strategy Hurts It in Trump’s Trade War

Ford's Big EV Dilemma

Auto Industry Takes $12 Billion Hit From Trade War

Detroit Rediscovers Its Love for Giant Gas Guzzlers

Get Rich or Get Wiped Out: Bitcoin’s Hottest New Trade

Detroit Rediscovers Its Love for Giant Gas Guzzlers


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.


Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


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Gold Is at Record High. Is It Still Time to Buy?25 Sep 202500:27:10

Gold prices are up more than 40% this year, on track for their best year since 1979—when a global energy crisis fueled an inflationary shock that thrashed the world economy.


And while it's a very different economy today, with stocks hitting record highs on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, gold serves as a form of insurance for a diversified investor, particularly when facing risks such as inflation, government debt, war, and questions about the Federal Reserve’s independence under President Trump.


This week on our columnists roundtable, editor Alex Frangos and markets reporter Chelsey Dulaney are joined by senior markets columnist James Mackintosh and chief economics commentator Greg Ip to discuss what’s driving a new rush to gold, how the yellow metal compares to Bitcoin as an inflation hedge and whether it's worth buying in, through the SPDR Gold Trust ETF or by picking up gold bars at Costco.


Further Reading

Why You Should Own (Some) Gold

Gold Hasn’t Rallied This Much Since 1979

The Costco Shoppers Putting $2,000 Gold Bars in Their Carts

Gold Miners Eschew Hedging to Lap Up Sky-High Prices

A Historic Gold Rush Is Under Way, From Wall Street to Main Street


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on the Street Column and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter.


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Billionaire Investor Cliff Asness on Managing Market Risk and 'Buffer' ETFs21 Sep 202500:35:27

In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos talk to billionaire investor Cliff Asness, the co-founder and chief investment officer of AQR Capital Management. AQR is a global investment management firm known for quantitative investing, an approach that builds strategies based on data and research. Asness discusses one of the market's biggest trends: the explosion in popular ETFs designed to protect investors from downturns. But do they actually work?


Later, Asness shares why he thinks trading on Robinhood can feel more like betting on FanDuel, why the stock market has become less rational due to social media, and whether Palantir and Tesla are on the meme stock spectrum. Then, he weighs in on companies reporting earnings every six months, market froth and the bind facing the Federal Reserve.


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 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 from you. Email the show at takeontheweek@wsj.com.


To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com


Further Reading

Funds Promising Shelter From Wild Swings Are Booming. But Do They Deliver?

Traders Are Snapping Up Bullish Bets on Tesla

In This Frothy Market, It’s Boom Times for Brokers Like Robinhood

A New Generation of ‘Buy the Dip’ Investors Is Propping Up the Market


For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com, WSJ’s Heard on The Street Column, and WSJ’s Live Markets blog.


Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter


Follow Gunjan Banerji here and Telis Demos here


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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