The most important stories about money, business and power. Hosted by Ryan Knutson and Jessica Mendoza. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal.
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Blockbuster drugs. Rising profits. Strong sales. And yet, Novo Nordisk, the Danish company behind the GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, made a surprising move last week: It pushed out its CEO. WSJ's Peter Loftus charts the rise of Ozempic and the fall of CEO Lars Jorgensen. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: Trillion Dollar Shot Why WeightWatchers Wants in on Drugs Like Ozempic Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
President Donald Trump visited Capitol Hill today to urge passage of his multitrillion dollar tax and spending agenda. The bill is a complex piece of legislation that includes tax cuts, spending increases, spending reductions and some tax hikes. In total, it would increase budget deficits by nearly $3 trillion over a decade. WSJ’s Richard Rubin reports on the testy debate inside the GOP over the bill. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: -Trump 2.0: The First 100 Days -Trump’s Tariffs Force...
It was supposed to be the highlight of New York’s spring auction week: Sculptor Alberto Giacometti’s masterpiece “Large Thin Head” was this year’s most hotly anticipated piece up for sale. But when the bidding opened, collectors went silent. WSJ’s Kelly Crow explains what this unexpected auction week bust reveals about today’s art market. Annie Minoff hosts. Further Listening: - The $6 Million Banana's Appeal - Is This Painting a Masterpiece? AI Is On the Case - The Basquiat Sisters on Managing ...
A global team of betting whizzes hatched a scheme to take down the Texas Lottery. The plan was led by a London banker-turned-bookmaker and a mysterious professional gambler nicknamed ‘The Joker.’ The duo partnered with a Texas company and local retailers to print more than 99% of all the lottery tickets sold. And the jackpot was worth almost $100 million. The WSJ’s Brad Reagan explains how they pulled off the heist. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How an Antiques Dealer Uncovered a M...
Air traffic controllers for Newark Liberty International Airport have recently experienced several frightening incidents. Their radars and radios have gone dark, potentially risking the lives of hundreds of passengers. The resulting chaos and delays are forcing government officials to address staffing shortages and outdated tech at the Newark facility, and nationwide. WSJ’s aviation reporter Andrew Tangel talks with one air traffic controller about the difficulties of the job. Annie Minoff hosts...
Billions of health insurance claims are processed every year, and around 19% of them are denied. Very few people appeal, but those that do have a chance at a different outcome. Jessica Mendoza speaks to one family about the insurance denial that threw them into a life-or-death crisis, and WSJ’s Julie Wernau on the system they navigated. Further Listening: - Even Doctors Are Frustrated With Health Insurance - The Cyberattack That's Roiling Healthcare Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter....
On Monday, to the surprise of global investors, the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day trade deal. The deal slashed tariffs between the two countries and sent stocks surging. Leading the negotiations on the U.S. side was Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. WSJ’s Brian Schwartz, who covered the talks in Geneva, explains how Bessent became President Trump’s man on trade policy and got China to ‘yes’ on a temporary truce. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: -Made In America? Shoe Companies Alrea...
Last week, President Donald Trump nominated Dr. Casey Means to be surgeon general. Means is a wellness influencer and, along with her brother, a prominent advocate for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement. WSJ’s Kristina Peterson reports on how Means’s nomination makes her the latest figure from the lightly regulated wellness industry who has been elevated by Kennedy. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Fight to Kick Soda Out of Food Stamps -...
This episode explores Sam Altman's World project, which aims to distinguish humans from AI using iris-scanning orbs and the WorldCoin cryptocurrency. The discussion covers the project's motivations, how the technology works, its global rollout, and the privacy concerns it raises. It also touches on the project's recent launch in the US and future expansion plans.
President Donald Trump sees tariffs as a way to bring more manufacturing to the United States. But Nike and other sneaker companies have tried to move production out of Asia before. WSJ’s Jon Emont describes the cautionary tale of Nike’s attempt to make tens of millions of sneakers using high-tech manufacturing in Guadalajara, Mexico. Annie Minoff hosts. Further Listening: -A Tariff Loophole Just Closed. What That Means for Online Shopping. -China Unleashes a Trade War Arsenal Sign up for WSJ’s ...
Just days before his death, Pope Francis wrestled with an enormous problem: the Vatican’s dire finances. The world’s smallest country is now facing a budget deficit of millions, and a looming crisis in its pension fund. As the Papal conclave meets this week to vote for a new leader, WSJ’s Drew Hinshaw pieces through how centuries of financial mismanagement have culminated into a mess that the next pope will inherit. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Pope Francis Has Died. What’s Next f...
For months, questions have been swirling about the economy. And last week, we finally got some answers when all kinds of economic data was released. Some of those numbers seemed to say that the economy is headed toward a downward slump, but WSJ’s Jeanne Whalen explains that the picture may not be as dark as it seems at first glance. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: -Trump 2.0: Where Is The Economy Headed? -A Tariff Loophole Just Closed. What That Means for Online Shopping Sign up for WS...
After 60 years in charge, Warren Buffett is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway later this year. Jessica Mendoza talks to WSJ’s Jason Zweig and Karen Langley about Buffet’s prolific career and Greg Abel, the man he chose to succeed him as CEO. Further Listening: - Does Warren Buffett Know Something We Don't? - The Life of One of Wall Street's Greatest Investors Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A little-known trade provision is ending, and it will likely upend business for e-commerce companies and raise prices for consumers. De minimis has allowed companies to avoid duties on shipments to the U.S. that are worth $800 or less. It’s a program that many companies, especially e-commerce giants, Shein and Temu, have taken advantage of to keep prices low. WSJ’s Shen Lu explains how President Donald Trump has now ended that program for products from China and Hong Kong. We also speak with the...
In our capstone episode, Kate Linebaugh and Molly Ball break down Trump's first 100 days in office with WSJ’s Aaron Zitner, digging into the highs and lows, where things stand with voters and what’s next for the administration and the country. Further Listening: -Canada’s New Leader Is Ready to Take On Trump -Trump 2.0: Where is the Economy Headed -Taking Stock of the ‘Sell America’ Trade Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...
Before committing suicide live on X, Arnold Haro had a request: "If I die, I hope you guys turn this into a meme coin." His dying wish came true. Haro’s followers created a meme coin that skyrocketed in value to $2 million. WSJ's Kevin Dugan digs into a seedy online world where anything can be turned into crypto. Annie Minoff hosts. Further Listening: - Inside the Trump Crypto Bromance Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
The Davos conference brings together the world’s elites to try to make the world a better place. But according to some current and former employees, the leader of the organizing body behind Davos fosters a toxic workplace. WSJ’s Shalini Ramachandran discusses her investigation into the World Economic Forum and the impact of a recent anonymous whistleblower letter. Annie Minoff hosts. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Mark Carney, a former banker, won Canada’s national election on Monday. Carney ran on an anti-Trump platform, and he's promised to try to decouple his country’s economy from its biggest trading partner and, lately, its biggest threat. WSJ’s Vipal Monga explains how Trump’s trade war and threats to annex Canada have upended the election. Annie Minoff hosts. Further Listening: - Why Justin Trudeau Stepped Down - Guns and Death Threats in Canada's Baby-Eel Fisheries Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s Ne...
Suleiman al-Youssef’s son, Shadi, has been missing since the beginning of the Syrian civil war. After the Assad regime was overthrown, Suleiman found new hope when he discovered a video of a man who looked like his son outside the country’s most notorious prison. WSJ’s Ben C. Solomon on Suleiman’s search for his son and Syria’s thousands of other missing loved ones like him. Kate Linebaugh hosts. Further Listening: - Assad’s Regime Falls. What’s Next For Syria? - Ten Days That Shifted Power in S...
Andy Wirth and Tony Harris moved halfway across the world to help build Neom: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s futuristic new city in the Saudi desert. But what they found wasn’t the desert utopia of Neom’s marketing. Instead, they found a project bleeding cash, led by a screaming CEO, where very little was actually being built. WSJ’s Rory Jones and Eliot Brown explain how Neom fell years behind schedule – and went billions of dollars over-budget – thanks to a culture of runaway spending and n...
In 2017, Saudi Arabia’s ambitious, young leader, Mohammed bin Salman, unveiled Neom: a futuristic new city Saudi Arabia would build in the desert. Neom would be a hotspot for tourism like the French Riviera, a center of innovation like Silicon Valley, and a global melting pot like Dubai. It would help transform the Saudi economy. But over the years, that already bold plan grew even more ambitious. In the first of two episodes about Neom, WSJ’s Rory Jones and Eliot Brown explain how an effort to ...
President Trump’s deportations, tariffs, federal layoffs and funding suspensions have generated nonstop headlines and frayed confidence, yet left surprisingly little trace on the economy. Hiring, spending and inflation look a lot like they did under Joe Biden. As Trump’s first 100 days draw to a close, Kate Linebaugh and Molly Ball explore the state of the U.S. economy with Chief Economics Commentator Greg Ip and try to understand what might be coming next. Further Listening: - Taking Stock of t...
This episode discusses the 'Sell America' trade, a new market phenomenon where foreign investors are pulling back from US assets due to trade war threats and concerns about the administration's policies. It explores the factors that previously made the US an attractive investment destination, how Trump's policies have shaken investor confidence, and where investors are now looking to put their money. The episode highlights the potential consequences for the US economy and the long-term implications for American finance.
President Donald Trump has been on an escalating campaign to reorder elite higher education. The administration’s Anti-Semitism Task Force has frozen billions of dollars in federal funding after Harvard refused to comply with their demands. WSJ’s Douglas Belkin on the showdown between America’s most prominent university and the U.S. president. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Trump's College Crackdown Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
Earlier this year, Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova landed at Boston Logan Airport with samples of frog embryos in her luggage. Those samples cost Petrova her visa and kickstarted an asylum claim that landed her in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana. WSJ’s Michelle Hackman explains that Petrova’s case represents an aggressive shift in the Trump administration’s stance towards immigrants with visas. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: -Trump 2.0: Trade Wars and Deportation Battles -A N...
On Monday morning, Pope Francis died at 88. The first South American to hold the office, he was known for his commitment to social and economic justice. WSJ’s Margherita Stancati discusses Francis’ legacy and explains what happens next for the Catholic Church. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Return of Religious Films to Hollywood - The Mormon Church's $100 Billion Secret Fund Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...
When Colorado became one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, a community called Pueblo stepped forward hoping to become the 'Napa Valley of Cannabis'. WSJ’s Julie Wernau visited the town to explore the cannabis boom that promised new jobs and tax revenue, and found an industry that had gone bust, with local residents struggling to find a way forward. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: -The Highs and Lows of Diversifying the Cannabis Industry Sign up for WSJ’s free What...
Mark Zuckerberg is in court defending Meta against a Federal Trade Commission case that alleges the company wields an illegal monopoly in social media. It's a trial that could force the tech giant to potentially break itself up by selling Instagram and WhatsApp. WSJ’s Dana Mattioli explains how Zuckerberg’s efforts to get close to President Donald Trump hasn’t kept the company safe, while Jan Wolfe is in D.C. court watching the play-by-play. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - FTC Chair ...
After years of trying to revive his flailing social media company, Elon Musk has pulled off a turnaround at X. It comes after Musk decided to merge X with his artificial intelligence company xAI. The deal values the combined business at over $100 billion. WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy explains how Musk has pulled the app formerly known as Twitter back from the brink of bankruptcy, thanks in part to his proximity to President Donald Trump. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Musk-Twitter Sag...
The Hong Kong-based company CK Hutchinson, led by billionaire Li Ka-shing, recently announced a deal to sell majority stakes in two ports on the Panama Canal. The deal with a consortium of investors led by BlackRock pleased President Donald Trump, after he had expressed interest in regaining control over the canal. But, as WSJ’s Rebecca Feng reports, the $22.8 billion deal also angered Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who saw the ports as a bargaining chip with the United States. Allison Pohle hosts. ...
