WSJ's Take On the Week

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos start the show by discussing the divergence between consumer sentiment and hard economic data, and whether we'll see any sign of market softening in the forthcoming jobs and GDP reports. Then, all that glitters IS gold. The co-hosts talk about gold's recent all-time highs. They also dig into whether the Magnificent Seven trade may be on the downswing.  Later on the show, Markus Hansen, portfolio manager and senior research analyst of Vontobel Asset Management, joins the podcast to talk about whether the current moment of economic uncertainty is the time for household food and beverage brands, like Coca-Cola and Mondelez, the company behind Oreo, to shine. They also talk about Warren Buffett's legendary investment philosophy and his company Berkshire Hathaway's stake in Coca-Cola. They also dive into diversifying into international investments, and how the technology and luxury sectors are faring. 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 To read more from our hosts, catch up on Huge Stock Swings Are the New Normal for Frazzled Investors and How Long Will Big U.S. Banks Continue to Lead the World  Consumer Staples Gain on Rush to Safety After Tariffs Spark Market Rout  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.  

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos talk about the markets' reaction to the latest developments in President Trump's tariffs policies. They talk about the “buy the dip” trade and weigh in on “the stock market isn't the economy” debate. The hosts also discuss what's going on with Treasurys. Later on the show, Kris Kraus, a managing director and portfolio manager at one of the world's largest bond managers, Pimco, joins the podcast to give us a pulse check on the health of consumers, including their debt, from mortgages to auto loans. He shares what we should—and shouldn't—be worried about as tariffs start to hit our pocketbooks and portfolios. Kraus also talks about what he'll be looking out for in upcoming earnings from credit card companies, like American Express and Capital One, for clues on where consumers are headed. 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 To read more from co-host Gunjan Banerji, catch up on When Does a Market Dive Hit the Rest of the Economy? and Market Rout Shatters Long-Held Beliefs on Investing  Live Q&A: What's Happening With the Markets?—Our Reporters Answered Your Questions  Trump U-Turn Halts the ‘Sell Everything American' Trade, but the Fallout Remains  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.  

In this special bonus episode of WSJ's Take On the Week, we dive into the most pressing questions for investors about tariffs and markets following the news of President Trump's 90-day pause on some of his largest import taxes. Co-host Telis Demos is joined by two friends of the show, WSJ reporter Miriam Gottfried and investing columnist Spencer Jakab. They get into which sectors are most exposed to tariffs, how consumer-facing companies such as Restoration Hardware and car-parts sellers have been affected, the political calculus behind the tariffs, and what the repeated policy shifts mean for the dollar as the world's reserve currency. Further Reading Live Q&A: What's Happening With the Markets?—Our Reporters Answered Your Questions Trump U-Turn Halts the ‘Sell Everything American' Trade, but the Fallout Remains  ​​Democrats Seek Trading Probes After Trump's Tariff U-Turn  Trades Before Trump Tariff Post Draw Scrutiny  Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter written by Spencer Jakab. 

EARLY DROP!!! We know tariffs and markets are on your mind so we're dropping this episode ahead of time to give you even more time to plot out how to take on your week!  On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest co-host Miriam Gottfried get right into President Trump's unveiling of his latest tariff policies. Then, they discuss the upcoming first quarter earnings results season. They talk about why they're curious regarding what Delta Air Lines and used-car retailer CarMax have to say when the companies report earnings later this coming week. Later on the show, Telis and Miriam dive deeper into corporate earnings season with Christine Short, head of research of Wall Street Horizon, which is part of the financial services company TMX Group. They talk about what Trump's trade war means for automotive companies, including General Motors and Ford, and what forward-looking guidance from companies like Dollar Tree, Southwest Airlines, Walmart and others could offer as a clue into how the corporate world is dealing with tariffs. 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 To read more from our co-hosts, catch up on Wall Street Facing Toughest Test in Years and Banks Don't Pay Tariffs, but Tariffs Will Cost Them.  What to Know About Trump's Latest Tariffs  A Market-Rattling Attempt to Make the American Economy Trump Always Wanted  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. 

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest co-host Miriam Gottfried dive into the impending 25 percent tariffs that are set to be placed on global automotive imports to the U.S. Then, we explore what the bond market tells us and what a decrease in the U.S. Treasury yields means for investors. Plus, is the IPO market buzzing? Provider of specialized cloud-computing services, CoreWeave, is the latest company to debut for trading. With companies like StubHub, eToro, and Klarna also announcing public offerings, does this mean more deals are on the horizon? Later on the show, Telis and Miriam discuss what we can expect from the forthcoming jobs report and how it will offer a big clue to where the economy is heading with Aditya Bhave, a senior U.S. economist for Bank of America's investment banking arm BofA Securities. Bhave shares his take on why concerns of stagflation may be "overstated" and why there's no margin for error on the Federal Reserve's inflation mandate. 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 Corporate America's Euphoria Over Trump's ‘Golden Age' Is Giving Way to Distress  Trump Considers More Limited Tariff Plans  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. 

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest co-host Miriam Gottfried dive into a smorgasbord of forthcoming macroeconomic data that will illustrate how the economy is faring since President Trump's inauguration. Then, Telis shares what investment bank Jeffries's forthcoming fiscal-quarter report could tell us about the state of mergers and acquisitions on Wall Street. And it's baseball season, folks! The co-hosts talk about the latest deal between the San Francisco Giants and private-equity firm Sixth Street. Later on the show, Telis and Miriam discuss whether middle-market businesses, which include a huge swath of the American workforce, are holding strong as the threat of tariffs continues and chatter about economic uncertainty intensifies with Michael Smith. He's the co-head of credit at Ares Management, an alternative investment manager that lends to more than 500 midmarket companies. 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 To read more from co-host Telis Demos, catch up on Tariffs Are a Risk for Midsize Businesses, and Their Lenders. To read more from guest co-host Miriam Gottfried, catch up on An Insurer Taps Its Financial-Adviser Network to Sell Private-Market Funds. Google Strikes $32 Billion Deal for Cybersecurity Startup Wiz  America's Pastime Is Being Completely Transformed—by Japan  MLB Plots a New TV Model After Striking Out With ESPN  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.  

The Federal Reserve is often a key player in the markets. Now with investors uncertain about the economic outlook and the general policy volatility of the Trump administration, people are closely watching whether the Fed and Chair Jerome Powell might ride to the economic rescue in the near future. In a special interview-only episode, WSJ's Take On the Week co-host Telis Demos talks with Ed Al-Hussainy, global interest rate strategist at asset manager Columbia Threadneedle Investments, about what we can expect from the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, how policies in Washington are intersecting with the central bank's mission, and what investors should do in midst of uncertainty. 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 To read more from co-host Telis Demos, catch up on Consumers Keep Bailing Out the Economy. Now They Might Be Maxed Out.  Wall Street Fears Trump Will Wreck the Soft Landing  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.  

The Consumer Confidence Index had its biggest drop in more than three years in February. We're at a crossroads moment in the economy. Uncertainty is back, according to financial experts and consumers alike. In a special interview-only episode, WSJ's Take On the Week co-host Telis Demos talks with Seth Carpenter, Morgan Stanley's chief global economist, about where we are in the fight against inflation and what that means for the stock market, the Federal Reserve, and more. 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 Two-Headed Monster Stalking the Economy Has a Name: Stagflation  How Uncertainty From Trump's Tariffs Is Rippling Through the Economy  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.  

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos talks with reporter Miriam Gottfried about what is driving a slide in 10-year Treasury yields. Then they get into the upcoming jobs report and whether any DOGE-related shakeups in the federal workforce could be reflected in the data. They also discuss the flurry of tariff-related developments ahead of a deadline this week for proposed taxes on imports from Canada and Mexico. Later on the show, Telis dives into what President Trump's tariff agenda could mean for the economy and markets with Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former chief economist for the U.S. Department of State in the Biden-Harris administration.  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   To read more from co-host Telis Demos, catch up on PayPal Needs Help From Its Oldest Friends—Consumers. The Economy Is Still Fine. Americans Are Still Gloomy  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.  

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos talks with reporter Peter Rudegeair about this coming week's latest inflation gauge, the personal-consumption-expenditures price index, or PCE, and what's going on with the price of eggs. Then they dive into what to expect from the slew of forthcoming housing data and what that could signal about mortgage rates. They also discuss Nvidia, Vistra and Constellation Energy earnings. Later on the show, Telis and Peter are joined by Chris Hansen, founder and portfolio manager of the hedge fund Valiant Capital Management, to talk about AI-related stocks beyond the tech companies investing in AI, including Amazon, Microsoft and Meta, and chipmakers such as Nvidia. They discuss the power companies that provide the extra electricity that fuels data centers needed to support AI and how power companies may also be long-term winners in the AI race. 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 and Listening To read more on energy stocks from guest co-host Peter Rudegeair, catch up on Tech-Loving Hedge Funds Have a Crush on Utility Stocks. Listen to Bold Names: Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and the AI ‘Fantasy Land'.  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.  

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos talks with Aaron Back, WSJ's Heard on the Street column editor, about the latest inflation report and what it could mean for the Federal Reserve. They also discuss upcoming earnings from Chinese tech company Alibaba and retail behemoth Walmart.  Later on the show, Telis talks about all things retail with Dana Telsey, CEO and founder of Telsey Advisory Group, a brokerage firm focused on the consumer sector. They chat about what's behind Walmart's winning retail strategy—from its inroads with higher-end customers, affordable luxury offerings like the viral “Wirkin” bag, and its e-commerce play. They also get into what's going on with the luxury market, including with high-end juggernaut Hermès, Louis Vuitton parent company LVMH, Chanel, Burberry, and others. Before they sign off, Telis asks Dana: What's up with Target? 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 Walmart Is Retail King Again. Can It Keep the Crown?  Customers Are Quitting Luxury Brands as Price Hikes Go Too Far  To read more from our co-host Telis Demos, catch up on Why Tariffs Will Make Car Insurance Even More Expensive  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.  

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos talk about the whiplash surrounding tariffs, including what could be next for the U.S. and China. They also get into the latest in the crypto world, from Coinbase's upcoming earnings to the forthcoming confirmation hearing for Securities and Exchange Commission nominee Paul Atkins. Before turning to this week's interview, they get into Robinhood's back-peddling on launching Super Bowl betting contracts after regulators' pushback.  Later in the show, Gunjan and Telis dive into one of the hottest stocks out there: MicroStrategy, now renamed as Strategy. The software company, which describes itself as a bitcoin treasury, has become a bitcoin buying machine. Since it started purch asing bitcoin in 2020, Strategy's stock has skyrocketed with an ardent following not unlike the fandom surrounding cult stocks like Palantir and Nvidia. But some are skeptical of the company's bitcoin strategy and valuation. Jon Weil, columnist for WSJ's Heard on the Street, joins Telis and Gunjan to explain.  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 To read more from co-host Telis Demos, catch up on Wall Street Is Booming, but Banks Are in a Lending Rut.  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.

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos start off the show with the latest on the surprise dark horse in AI, DeepSeek, and what the development means for companies like Microsoft and Meta. Then they get into the latest Federal Reserve interest-rate decision and news on the consumer spending front.  Later on the show, the co-hosts dive into the world of sports investing—from the publicly traded Atlanta Braves, and Knicks' and Rangers' parent company Madison Square Garden Sports, to private equity's new role in the NFL—with Chris Marangi, co-chief investment officer of value at Gabelli Funds. They also talk about the rise in popularity of sports betting apps, like DraftKings and FanDuel, and how media deals are reshaping the sports industry.  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 To read more from our hosts, catch up on The Day DeepSeek Turned Tech and Wall Street Upside Down and Amex Has a First-Class Problem: Can Consumer Spending Really Keep Up?  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.  

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos discuss Wall Street's reaction to President Donald Trump's inauguration and his slew of executive orders. They talk about the president's and his wife Melania Trump's meme coins and the Stargate venture, an AI infrastructure plan led by ChatGPT maker OpenAI and global tech investor SoftBank Group.   Later on the show, Gunjan and Telis tackle what might be the biggest question for investors right now: Is the Federal Reserve done cutting interest rates? They're joined by Sonal Desai, chief investment officer of Franklin Templeton Fixed Income, to dive into what may be the new normal for interest rates, what she will be looking out for when Jerome Powell speaks at the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, and Treasury secretary pick Scott Bessent's stance on tariffs. They also talk about what's happening in 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. 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 To read more from co-host Telis Demos, catch up on Are the L.A. Wildfires One Catastrophe or Two? It Matters to Insurers.  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.

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos discuss the latest news on the L.A. fires and their impact on the insurance market. Then, they get into Donald Trump's presidential inauguration and Wall Street's reaction to the new administration. A who's who of big tech like Tesla's Elon Musk, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and even TikTok CEO Shou Chew will reportedly be in attendance. Gunjan and Telis also dig into bank earnings following surging profits for some of the largest banks, like Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase. Telis shares what to look out for ahead of regional banks, including Fifth Third and Keycorp, and credit card companies, such as Capital One, reporting earnings this week.  Later on, Meg Tahyar, head of the Financial Institutions Group at the law firm Davis Polk, joins the co-hosts to talk about what to expect when it comes to banking regulation in a second Trump administration, how it might differ from his first term, and what regulations may mean for banks, crypto and more. 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 To read more from our hosts on topics discussed in this episode, read There Is a Safety Valve for Private Home Insurance in California and Prediction-Markets Venue Kalshi Appoints Donald Trump Jr. as Adviser. 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.

On WSJ's Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos dive into what almost everyone on Wall Street is fixated on right now: rising bond yields. Then they explore what Disney's potential merger with FuboTV means for streaming services and how sports and other live events are driving those deals. Telis also gears up for the Super Bowl. Well, his super bowl — bank earnings. JPMorgan, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and others report later this week. Later on, Peter Orszag, CEO of the asset manager and investment bank Lazard, joins the co-hosts to talk about what to expect when it comes to M&A dealmaking in 2025. Peter, who also served as the director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Obama administration, also talks about prospective tariffs, how the dealmaking landscape may change in a second Trump administration, and about the proposed Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy-led advisory council, Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. 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. Further Reading 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.

AI was a big stock market theme in 2024. We've talked about it, and heard it many times. But it was far from the only thing that happened in stocks last year. We saw record-breaking growth from power companies like Vistra. Cult stocks like Palantir and MicroStrategy also had a moment. And of course, Nvidia, a company that needs no introduction, had a blockbuster year.  But where there are winners, there are also losers. The announcement of Walgreens' potential sale highlighted the challenges within the retail pharmacy sector. Shares of the biotech company Moderna also slumped partly due to waning demand for its Covid-19 vaccine and booster. And discount chain Dollar Tree took a hit this year as its shoppers showed signs of belt-tightening. For our first episode of 2025, we're joined by global editor of WSJ's Heard on the Street column, Spencer Jakab, and deputy editor of WSJ's Heard on the Street, Aaron Back, to reveal more of the market's winners and losers in 2024 and examine what their wins or losses could mean for investors and the economy in the year ahead.  Further Reading  Walgreens Is in Talks to Sell Itself to Private-Equity Firm Sycamore Partners  Tech-Loving Hedge Funds Have a Crush on Utility Stocks  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. 

Jan Hatzius, chief economist and head of global investment research at Goldman Sachs, joins co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos for the show's last episode of 2024. They talk about Jan's 2025 economic outlook, the role tariffs could play in the second Trump Administration, and the Federal Reserve's latest interest-rate decision. They even get into the holiday spirit and chat about gift-giving.   A note to listeners: WSJ's Take On the Week is going to take a break for the holidays and will return on Jan. 5. Happy Holidays! 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 hosts at telis.demos@wsj.com and gunjan.banerji@wsj.com.  Further Reading 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.

Welcome to WSJ's Take On the Week. 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. Gunjan and Telis start off by discussing the upcoming Federal Reserve interest rate decision, and tackling what's been going in the market for risky derivatives, where activity is on track to hit an all-time high this year.  Later on, the co-hosts are joined by Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev. Before the trading platform Robinhood became a one-stop app offering a slew of financial products, from credit cards to retirement accounts, it was at the center of the 2021 GameStop and meme stock frenzy. Gunjan, Telis and Vlad discuss Robinhood's transformation and the rise and future of retail investing. 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 hosts at telis.demos@wsj.com and gunjan.banerji@wsj.com.  Further Reading Robinhood Wants to Grow Up The Thrill Factor Is Back for Retail Investors Robinhood Sets Sights on New Bounty: The Rising Rich 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. 

Welcome to WSJ's Take On the Week. 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. This week, Telis and Gunjan debrief on BlackRock's $12 billion acquisition of private credit manager HPS. Then they tackle the “i word” – inflation – and the upcoming consumer-price index report. They also chat about bitcoin cresting over $100,000 in the wake of an expected crypto-friendly Washington under a Trump presidency.  Later on in the show, Telis gets into what's driving people to restaurants at projected record levels, even though the cost of food and dining out have been high. He's joined by Aman Narang, CEO and co-founder of Toast, a technology company that sells software and hardware to restaurants for digital payments, online apps, takeout and delivery, kitchen management and more. They talk about how the restaurant industry has fared since the pandemic and how technology like Toast's has brought the sector further into the 21st century.  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 hosts at telis.demos@wsj.com and gunjan.banerji@wsj.com.  Further Reading 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. 

Welcome to WSJ's Take On the Week. 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. This week, Telis and Gunjan skip debriefing about the headlines and jump straight into a special interview with Coinbase's chief legal officer, Paul Grewal, to talk all things crypto, which has captivated both Main Street and Wall Street since the U.S. elections. They talk about what the crypto exchange is looking for when it comes to potential legislation and regulations under another Trump administration. They also get into what's going on with stablecoins, tokens and cryptoassets, like bitcoin, dogecoin and dogwifhat. Later they discuss the SEC and what the industry could look like in the years to come. Further Reading The Crypto World Is Preparing for a Renaissance Under Trump  Is Trump Really So Great for Bitcoin?  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. 

Welcome to WSJ's Take On the Week. 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. This week, Telis and Gunjan debrief on how chip maker Nvidia crossed the $100 billion mark in its annual sales, as well as how consumer spending is faring in the wake of retail earnings, like Target's. And we check in on the lead up to the Fed's preferred inflation measure, the personal-consumption expenditures price index. Later on in the show, they get into the holiday spirit and talk about New York's iconic Rockefeller Center ahead of its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony and they dig into its recent $3.5 billion refinancing deal. Deputy Chief Economist Rebecca Rockey from commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield joins us to talk about the transaction and what it means for the commercial real estate market at large, and even for everyday investors. 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 takeontheweek@wsj.com or the hosts at telis.demos@wsj.com and gunjan.banerji@wsj.com.   Further Reading 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. 

Welcome to WSJ's Take On the Week. 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. This week, Telis and Gunjan dig into the latest on the Trump trade, the crypto rally and what upcoming retail earnings reports from Target and Walmart could signal about American consumers. Later, Dominic Rizzo, portfolio manager of T. Rowe Price's Global Technology Equity Strategy, joins the show to talk about artificial intelligence investment and tech stocks, including companies such as AMD and Synopsys and those in the Magnificent Seven like Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft. And of course the sector's shining star, Nvidia. 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 takeontheweek@wsj.com or the hosts at telis.demos@wsj.com and gunjan.banerji@wsj.com.  Further Reading Nvidia Will Dominate Big Tech's Earnings Season Again  From AI to Hardware Costs: Enterprise Tech Leaders Prepare for Trump 2.0  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. 

WSJ's Take On the Week brings you the insights and analysis you need to get a leg up on the world of money and investing. Weekly, we cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance. Join The Wall Street Journal's Telis Demos and Gunjan Banerji in conversation with the people closest to the hot topics in markets to get incisive analysis on the big trades, key players in finance and business news ahead. The show returns November 17.

We're going on hiatus. A message for our listeners from WSJ's Take On the Week producer Jess Jupiter. For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com.

This week, we're expecting earnings reports from three of the biggest U.S. banks: JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo. Josh Brown and Michael Batnick from Ritholtz Wealth Management join us to discuss what these reports could tell us about the finances of consumers and businesses — how much we're spending, how much we're saving and whether we've been taking risks. Then, we're drilling into oil. A report from the International Energy Agency is expected Friday and will play a role in letting investors know whether the double digit increase we saw in oil prices in Q1 and the 30% increase we saw in gasoline prices will continue. We're speaking with WSJ reporter, David Uberti, about what rising gasoline prices tells us and why the report could move oil prices, stock prices and more. Plus, we're previewing the upcoming CPI report with WSJ reporter Anna Hirtenstein to find out why this week's data could change the conversation about inflation. How can we better help you take on the week? We'd like to hear from you. Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com. Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching to a different podcast player. Further Reading Why Gasoline Prices Are Rising Faster Than Usual This Year  Inflation Victory Is Proving Elusive, Challenging Central Banks and Markets  For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com.

The latest earnings season is coming to a close and we are looking forward to the next quarter to learn where profits are headed. What have investors learned about U.S. companies and the economy and which sectors should they be paying close attention to? Gabriela Santos, managing director and chief market strategist for the Americas on the Global Market Insights Strategy Team at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, joins the conversation to share her big takeaways from the latest earnings season. Then, we're shifting gears to jobs as we prepare for the monthly employment report expected on Friday. LinkedIn's chief economist, Karin Kimbrough, shares what's happening with jobs and the growing importance of AI for U.S. employers and job-seekers. Plus, we're talking savings, or lack thereof. A new report from Santander Bank expected this Tuesday shows that most middle-income Americans are missing out on high interest rates from their savings account. We hear from Tim Wennes, president and CEO of Santander U.S. about why he believes people aren't switching to high-interest savings accounts and what banks, like Santander, can do about it. How can we better help you take on the week? We'd like to hear from you. Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com. Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching to a different podcast player. For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com .

Affirm CEO Max Levchin is one of the original co-founders of PayPal, and now he leads one of the biggest players in the buy now, pay later business. Levchin wants to build a company that changes how shoppers pay for big-ticket items and the way people take on debt. But critics argue the company is a danger to consumers because it allows them to make some purchases with no interest payments, thereby encouraging excessive spending. For this bonus episode of WSJ's Take On the Week, Levchin talks about Affirm's future and competing with the credit-card industry. How can we better help you take on the week? Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com.  Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching to a different podcast player. Listen to WSJ's Take On the Week: https://on.wsj.com/3r5DbS7 

This week, we're taking a look at corporate greed. A recent survey from Navigator Research found that most Americans think greed is a “major cause” of inflation. But is that true? Deepak Puri, chief investment officer of Deutsche Bank Private Bank in the Americas, joins us to dig into this week's Corporate Profits report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis to get some answers. Then we're turning to jobless claims. It's been four years since the Covid-19 pandemic led to business shutdowns across the country and a subsequent record 3.28 million unemployment filings. Valerie Wilson, director of the Economic Policy Institute on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy, gives us her take on the state of the labor market. Plus, WSJ media reporter Alexandra Bruell discusses Buzzfeed's upcoming earnings report and how the company is faring since embracing AI last year. How can we better help you take on the week? We'd like to hear from you. Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com. Listening on Google Podcasts? Here's our guide for switching to a different podcast player. https://on.wsj.com/48YljZs Further Reading For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com.

This week, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is expected to release another interest rate decision. Will the Federal Reserve's statements move the markets and disrupt the bullish momentum in the stock market? Torsten Slok, partner and chief economist at Apollo Global Management, joins us to share what specific phrases from the FOMC may indicate when rate cuts will come and gives us a hot take of his own about what the Fed's decision will be. Then, we're turning our attention to FedEx's earnings report expected on Thursday. The company has marketed new technologies in their business strategies, such as providing integral data from packaged delivery services that may excite investors. WSJ reporter Esther Fung and Heard of the Street editor Spencer Jakab join to explain how companies leaning into ‘tech' branding can affect their stocks and what they're looking to hear on this week's earnings call. Finally, we're turning up the volume on music royalties becoming asset-backed securities. WSJ's Los Angeles bureau chief Sarah Krouse joins to share why musicians like Bruce Springsteen are getting big deals from investors and what it means for markets. How can we better help you take on the week? We'd like to hear from you. Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com.

Are U.S. CEOs feeling confident? The Business Roundtable CEO Economic Outlook Index measures the health of the U.S. economy from the perspective of U.S. chief executives. We discuss why this survey matters for investors and the markets with Joe Brusuelas, principal and chief economist for assurance and tax consulting firm RSM US. We continue the conversation on CEOs' outlook with Everette Taylor, CEO of global crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Taylor shares his view on CEO confidence and his expectations for the future. Also, is supercore inflation back? We talk with WSJ's Justin Lahart about what Tuesday's CPI inflation report could mean for investors and the markets. How can we better help you take on the week? Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com.   Further Reading What is Supercore Inflation?  Forget Core CPI, Market Pros Are Searching for Supercore Inflation  Kickstarter's Biggest Winners and Biggest Losers  A Turbulent Year May Lie Ahead—CEOs at Davos Are Optimistic  For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com.  Correction: The CEO Economic Outlook Index is produced by Business Roundtable. An earlier version of this podcast incorrectly referenced a different report, the Conference Board's CEO Confidence Survey. In addition, the Business Roundtable report was released ahead of schedule, after the interviews in this episode were conducted but before the episode aired. An earlier version said the report would be released on March 13. (Corrected on March 12)

This week, we're expecting the JOLTS and nonfarm payrolls reports. With inflation still holding above the Fed's target and some weakness in the latest durable goods and retail sales reports, February's nonfarm payrolls report will carry some extra weight. Charles Schwab's chief investment strategist, Liz Ann Sonders and their chief fixed income strategist, Kathy Jones, join us for a discussion about how the market is anticipating these reports, especially the jobs report– which will be the week's marquee data point. We'll also be looking to see what these reports tell us about the state of the consumer. Then, ahead of Target and Costco's earnings results, WSJ reporter Sarah Nassauer joins to talk about how those reports may show us how shoppers are balancing wants and needs. And with Super Tuesday fast approaching we'll hear from Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research, about how this election can move the markets and what the likely presidential rematch between Donald Trump and Joe Biden means for investors.  Further Reading Hotter-Than-Expected Inflation Clouds Rate-Cut Outlook  Nasdaq Approaches Its Record High  U.S. Shoppers Cut Back in January  For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com. 

This week, we're looking ahead to Paramount Global's earnings report. The company that includes TV, movies, and streaming, has been taking it on the chin from investors. Its stock has lost more than 50% of its value in the past year, so Wednesday's report could be pivotal. Recently much of the talk about Paramount has been as an acquisition target — for media executive Byron Allen to Skydance Media CEO David Ellison. Michael Morris, senior managing director at Guggenheim Securities, joins us to share what this week's earnings report from Paramount could tell us about what's coming next — for streaming, for entertainment and for media conglomerates on Wall Street. Then, we turn our attention to the upcoming personal consumption expenditures report, or PCE. The report is slated to be released on Thursday and with stocks looking priced for perfection these days, we'll unpack what investors need to know to be ready. WSJ market reporters Gunjan Banerji and Sam Goldfarb join for a roundtable discussion on what the report means for the markets. Lastly, we're celebrating the extra day this month with Mark Maurer, reporter for WSJ's CFO Journal publication. Mark shares how chief financial officers at some of the largest companies, like Chipotle, Walmart, and Delta Airlines, are getting investors ready for leap day. Further Reading Skydance Backers Explore All-Cash Deal to Gain Control of Paramount  For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com.

Chipmaker Nvidia is having a strong start to the year. The company is currently the best performing stock in the S&P 500 for 2024 and the fourth largest company in the U.S., with a value of about $1.8 trillion. But how are investors feeling about Nvidia's success? Ahead of the company's earnings report later this week, we're speaking with Cathie Wood, CEO and chief investment officer of ARK Invest, who recently went from a buyer to a seller of Nvidia stock. Cathie shares insight into that decision and what she's most looking forward to from this week's report. You can hear an extended conversation with Cathie Wood - plus other exclusive content - on WSJ SPECIAL ACCESS. Available on Spotify and Apple Podcast. Then, we're turning our attention to Thursday's existing home sales report from the National Association of Realtors. Few markets have been as impacted by inflation as the housing market. With mortgage rates touching the highest level in 23 years in October, we bring on WSJ housing reporter, Nicole Friedman, to discuss what that means for potential homebuyers and sellers. Lastly, we keep Nicole around to discuss inflation and how it's shifted homeowners to focusing less on selling and more on renovating their homes. We'll also be looking out for signs that prices are rising again in the earnings reports we're expecting this week from Walmart and Home Depot. 

BlackRock's Rick Rieder leads the $10 trillion asset manager's global asset allocation team and he's excited about a return to normalcy in 2024. He's expecting strong economic growth and he's hoping the Fed will speed up its interest rate cuts this year. Plus, he explains why he likes bitcoin and what his big worry is right now.

 Why will DoorDash's earnings report deliver a better check-up for the U.S. economy than Marriott, Coca-Cola and Kraft-Heinz this week? Because the affordable luxury of food delivery is a great barometer for how much Americans are still willing to spend. Jason Helfstein, Oppenheimer and Company's managing director and head of Internet research, tells us why he's giving the stock a buy rating and how he thinks the latest changes to minimum wage laws will affect stockholders. And it's still all about inflation. WSJ markets reporter Eric Wallerstein joins us to break down why this week's CPI inflation report could really move markets. Plus, Valentine's Day is on the way, which for many means gifts. We look at which sector might see a boost from the holiday of love. Further Reading As CFOs Prepare for an Unpredictable 2024, Here's What Tops Their Checklists  Investors Are Almost Always Wrong About the Fed  Why Inflation Is Rising Again: Breaking Down the December CPI Report  11 Valentine's Day Gifts to Warm Her Heart (and Everything Else)  For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com. 

This week, multinational food, snack, and beverage company, PepsiCo is set to release their fourth quarter financial results. The soda maker has made headlines recently after their products were removed from European supermarket chain, Carrefour. The split follows a recent announcement by PepsiCo's chief financial officer, Hugh Johnston, that the company is expecting to slow price hikes this year. Jeremy Goldberg, portfolio manager at Professional Advisory Services, joins us to share what these moves will mean for investors. Then, we're turning our attention to CVS Health Corp's earnings this week. The retail pharmacy chain recently announced plans to close dozens of pharmacies inside Target stores as pharmacies struggle to grow retail profits. WSJ reporter Anna Matthews joins to share what this means for the company's future and what it says about the state of drugstores. We wrap up the show with a 'happy birthday' to Meta, which will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Facebook later this week. Sal Rodriguez, WSJ's social media reporter, joins us to discuss what the tech giant may be looking forward to next. Further Reading PepsiCo, Grocery Giant Bicker Over Who Dumped Whom  CVS Is Closing Pharmacies Inside Some Target Stores 

This week, the Federal Reserve's rate-setting committee is expected to release a decision on interest rates. When will the central bank finally begin lowering rates? Former St. Louis Fed President James Bullard joins us to share his thoughts on the decision and what he thinks the Fed needs to prioritize next. Plus, ready or not, tax season is here. Tax filing season starts January 29 and we want to understand what this means for you and your investments. WSJ reporter, Laura Saunders, joins us to share what investors should be paying most attention to as they prepare their filings. Plus, we're gearing up to enter Apple's virtual world. The technology company is set to release their mixed-reality headset, Vision Pro, at the end of the week. The company also faces added pressures from Microsoft as the company briefly overtook Apple as the largest U.S. company by market value. Could virtual reality be what keeps Apple on top?  Further Reading Stocks Fall on Rate-Cut Pessimism  Fed Posts Largest-Ever Annual Operating Loss  How Much Is the Standard Deduction and Should I Take It on My Tax Return?  How You Can Grab a 0% Tax Rate  For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com.

As we look ahead to what this year will hold for the markets, one question looming is the results of November's presidential election. While nothing is certain, it's very likely that President Biden will be the Democratic nominee for president. So what can investors and everyday Americans who are thinking about their bank accounts, jobs and families expect from the rest of 2024 and the next four years if Biden is re-elected? To find out, we're talking to Jared Bernstein, chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, an agency within the White House that gives the president advice on economic policy. Bernstein previously served as Biden's chief economist during his first two years as vice president, from 2009 to 2011. In this bonus episode, we'll talk with Bernstein about jobs, the national debt, inflation, China and the trade war, and whether the U.S. economy needs more stimulus or some serious budget cuts.

 What are business owners' biggest worries and how are they feeling about the economy? This week, the National Association for Business Economics, or NABE, is expected to release its first survey of the year. We spoke with Constance Hunter – a senior adviser at MacroPolicy Perspectives and a past president of NABE – about how investors should be thinking about this data and what it could mean for the economy and financial markets in 2024. And, in our roundtable with WSJ reporters Sharon Terlep and George Downs we discuss Boeing's recent issues with its 737 Max jet and its upcoming earnings call.  Further Reading Consumers Start 2024 on Strong Footing After a Jolly Holiday  Boeing's Pile of Problems Gets Bigger as a Crucial Buyer Hesitates  Can Boeing Repair the $12 Billion Hole in Its Reputation?  Inflation Is Down, but It Wasn't 'Transitory'  For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com. 

Zillow co-founder Spencer Rascoff joins us this week to talk about housing and the state of tech and investing in private markets. Although mortgage rates have fallen from their peak in 2023, there may not be enough inventory to bring in potential homebuyers. Rascoff tells us about what he sees as potential obstacles and successes for the housing market. And, as an entrepreneur and a venture capital investor who has co-founded some of the most well-known companies in the U.S., including Hotwire.com, Rascoff also tells us how he's reading the markets as we get into 2024. Plus, the World Economic Forum begins this week. The annual meeting, held in Davos, Switzerland, brings together cultural, policy and business leaders "to shape global, regional and industry agendas." From AI to unexpected economic optimism, WSJ deputy editor in chief Charles Forelle will discuss what he'll be looking for from the conference.  Further Reading Investors' Hope for 2024: A Return to Long-Lost Normalcy  The Hidden Force Pushing Mortgage Rates Down  Facing Housing Shortages, Cities Try Cramming More Units on Lots Misinformation Seen as Top Global Risk in Year of Pivotal Elections  For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com .

Investors are bullish on big companies, but what about the small ones that drive almost half of U.S. economic activity? Arlan Hamilton leads a venture capital firm that invests in these small firms and has a front-row seat. Her fund, Backstage Capital, has invested in hundreds of small companies that are hoping to become large ones and she'll tell us what she sees happening right now and what's on the horizon. Plus, is banking back? Bank stocks soared at the end of 2023, with a couple even outperforming the S&P 500. It shows investors have put the banking crisis that sunk the market in March behind them. But is the coast all clear? And how did we get here? We'll find out from WSJ banking reporter Rachel Ensign as the three largest banks in the country — JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo — are all scheduled to report their earnings on Friday. Further Reading WSJ Reports: Small Business  The Coming Deluge for Small Business U.S. Small-Business Sentiment Kept Sliding in September  How the Fed's Fight Against Inflation Could Hit Small Business  First Republic Crashed and Burned. This Bank Wants to Copy Its Business.  How the 2023 Bank Crisis Can Still Be Felt in 2024  Best Banks and Credit Unions for 2024