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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Hermès is one of Europe’s most storied luxury brands, known for its Birkin bags and expensive silk scarves. One of the company’s biggest shareholders had been fifth-generation Hermès heir Nicolas Puech. But a few years ago, Puech made a shocking admission : he was out of money. And Puech’s Hermès shares , worth some $15 billion, were missing. In this first episode, WSJ’s Nick Kostov digs into one of the most baffling and epic financial sagas of this century. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listen...
Pokémon cards are beating the benchmark S&P 500 and tech stocks like Meta. WSJ’s Krystal Hur has been talking with a few collectors that have hit it big thanks to some prized sparkly cardboard from their childhoods. But are there signs of a bubble and that we’re reaching peak Pikachu? Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The $55 Billion Deal to Take EA Private - GameStop and the Rise of the Reddit Investor Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choice...
Kentucky Fried Chicken was once one of the biggest fast-food chain in America. Now, it’s battling declining U.S. sales as rivals attract customers with chicken sandwiches and tenders over KFC’s classic bucket of bone-in chicken. WSJ’s Heather Haddon reports on how the iconic chain is trying to turn things around. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Can Pepsi Make a Comeback? - McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn ...
This episode explores the widespread corporate layoffs affecting white-collar workers, connecting them to both broader economic uncertainties and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence. CEOs are increasingly touting lean headcounts and integrating AI into various departments, raising fears of job destruction while also creating new roles. The shift towards impersonal layoff tactics and the overall economic outlook suggest this wave of workforce changes is just beginning, with significant implications for the future of work.
Once one of President Trump’s most strident allies, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is now arguing the president is out of touch with his political base . Trump, in turn, has called her a “traitor” and unendorsed her . As WSJ’s Olivia Beavers reports, Greene was one of a few Republicans who broke with Trump this year over the release of the Justice Department’s Jeffrey Epstein-related files. Now, with those files set to be released , Greene is redefining her political identity. Jessica Mend...
After five quarters of lagging sales and a sluggish stock price, Nike CEO Elliott Hill is trying to turn things around. WSJ’s Inti Pacheco spoke with Hill to discuss Nike's return to its roots and plans for future innovation . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Missteps That Led Nike Off Course - Made in America? Shoe Companies Already Tried That. Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
The daylight heist at the Louvre Museum in October, during which thieves made off with more than $100 million in crown jewels , captured the world's attention. But the theft was just one in a series that have taken place at museums all across France this year. WSJ’s Noemie Bisserbe explains how the wave of heists reveals deep-rooted security vulnerabilities in the country’s hundreds of museums— and raises questions about what it takes to protect national treasures. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further...
The repossession business is booming. More Americans are falling behind on their car payments , a sign that lower-income consumers are struggling. WSJ’s Scott Calvert recently joined a night shift with two repo men and learned that despite a record number of cars now marked for repossession, finding them is easier said than done. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - For Millions of Student-Loan Borrowers It’s Time to Pay - The 20,000 Steps to a Walmart Manager’s Six-Figure Salary Sign up ...
Americans could soon lose access to Italian-made pasta due to a 107% tariff plan on pasta imports . WSJ's Margherita Stancati unravels how a fight over paperwork spiraled into a full-blown pasta war. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How One Business Owner Is Getting Ahead of Trump's Tariffs - The Bean at the Center of the Trade War Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
WSJ’s Dan Gallagher takes us inside the little-known company playing a pivotal role in the AI spending boom . And Jessica Mendoza speaks to CoreWeave CEO Mike Intrator at WSJ Tech Live conference about whether the boom could be a bubble. Further Listening: - Is the AI Boom… a Bubble? - The Unraveling of OpenAI and Microsoft's Bromance - Artificial: The OpenAI Story Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Work in Los Angeles’s entertainment industry is evaporating. A desire to cut production costs , changing viewer habits , and competition from other filming locations are all contributing to a dramatic reduction in Hollywood jobs. WSJ’s Ben Fritz explains how the city’s creative middle class is bearing the burden . Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Ron Howard and Brian Grazer on Longevity in Hollywood - The Case of the Hollywood Shutdown Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . L...
Shareholders at Tesla approved the most valuable pay package ever for Elon Musk in an effort to bring his attention back to the company. The CEO will have to hit a number of milestones to get the full value of the package , including shifting Tesla’s focus to developing robotaxis and humanoid robots . WSJ’s Becky Peterson breaks down the complicated plan with Jessica Mendoza . Further Listening: Why GM Is Slamming the Brakes on EV Ambitions Why Elon Musk’s AI Chatbot Went Rogue Tesla Has a Probl...
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could reverse President Trump’s sweeping tariffs, and potentially upend the central piece of his economic policy. WSJ’s James Romoser breaks down the case on both sides and explains why some conservative justices are skeptical of Trump administration’s argument for the tariffs. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: The Supreme Court’s Season Finale, Explained Trump 2.0: A Showdown With the Judiciary Sign up for WSJ’s free What’...
At WSJ’s Tech Live, Jessica Mendoza sits down with Michael Kratsios , Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to discuss the pivotal moment in the U.S.-China AI race , how he thinks AI should be regulated, and whether or not the AI boom might be a bubble . Further Listening: - Is the AI Boom… a Bubble? - How a $1.5 Billion Settlement Could Alter the Course of AI - The Nvidia CEO’s Quest to Sell Chips in China Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more ...
The debate over healthcare subsidies has shut down the federal government for a historic length of time . With open enrollment underway, many Americans who pay for plans under the Affordable Care Act are experiencing sticker shock . Some costs have doubled, tripled, or even quintupled. WSJ’s Anna Wilde Matthews takes us inside the hefty premium hikes and explains why the high price tag could have an impact on the system as a whole. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Healthcare Costs of...
The historic Waldorf Astoria Hotel has reopened after an eight year saga that went $1 billion over budget . WSJ’s Craig Karmin takes us inside the deal to buy the hotel, the arrest of its new owner and the Chinese government ’s takeover. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Six Days of Chaos at MGM’s Casinos - The Missing Minister Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
The Etsy witch trend has taken witchcraft into the mainstream . These online witches are making their magical services available to anyone willing to pay for them. Want a job? Or a boyfriend? There’s a spell for that. WSJ’s Chavie Lieber explains why it pays to be a witch. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Etsy: Big Commerce or Crafters' Community? - Lady Gaga, Low-Rise Jeans, and the Next Recession Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve announced a highly anticipated quarter-point cut to interest rates . But the road to future rate cuts is pretty murky. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos explains how missing government data is obscuring the Fed’s view of the economy, and why Fed Chair Jerome Powell says a December rate cut is “ not a foregone conclusion .” Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Government Shutdown: Who Will Blink First? - The Drama at the Fed as It Debates Cutting Rates Sign up for WSJ’...
In 2021, GM and its CEO Mary Barra announced a bold plan to go all electric by 2035. But falling consumer demand and shriveling government support has undermined GM’s electric plans . Now, as Sharon Terlep reports, GM has gone from one of the industry’s loudest EV champions to a leading opponent of government emissions rules and fuel-economy standards. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - What Happened to GM’s All-Electric Bet? - Tesla Has a Problem: Elon Musk Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s N...
J.M. Smucker is suing Trader Joe's over trademark infringement , accusing the company of copying its pre-made Uncrustables peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches. WSJ’s Jesse Newman explores the battle over PB&Js is part of a broader anxiety for Big Food over the rise of private-label products. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Food Fight: PepsiCo vs. Carrefour - Kraft Heinz’s Big Breakup Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/...
Auto-parts maker First Brands Group, the company behind products like Autolite spark plugs and Fram oil filters, declared bankruptcy last month . Court filings have revealed a trove of irregularities and a $2 billion dollar hole. WSJ’s Alexander Gladstone says the bankruptcy is having an impact on the company’s lenders and on Wall Street . Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Trump’s Tariffs Cause Chaos in Auto Industry - How Spirit Airlines Landed in Bankruptcy Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s...
The podcast explores the close, ideologically aligned relationship between President Trump and Argentina's President Javier Milei, and Trump's unprecedented $20 billion bailout offer contingent on Milei's party performing well in an upcoming election. It delves into Milei's radical austerity measures, their mixed results on inflation, and the severe backlash from Argentinians experiencing job losses and economic hardship. The episode also discusses the risks for the Trump administration, U.S. strategic interests in Latin America, and whether the bailout can truly save Argentina's deeply troubled economy or merely offer a temporary reprieve.
In a conversation taped at The Journal live event, entrepreneurs and influencers Vivian Tu , Haley Sacks , and Brian Kelly sat down with Jessica Mendoza to explore personal finance in the social media era; exploring everything from generational wealth to how much crypto people should have in their portfolios. Further Listening: Kathy Hochul on Mamdani, Trump and Where Democrats Went Wrong We had so much fun in NYC, keep an eye out for more live events across the U.S. soon! Sign up for WSJ’s free...
Chinese criminals have made more than $1 billion from scam text messages sent out across the U.S. and the world. The texts warn of unpaid fines and lure unsuspecting victims to fork over their credit-card details. WSJ’s Robert McMillan explains how the scheme works and why it’s been so hard to stop. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: Pig-Butchering: A Texting Scam With a Crypto Twist The Slaves Sending You Scam Texts Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad...
Once among the world's fastest-growing religions, Mormonism is facing a 21st-century reckoning , driven by social media. Across Tiktok and Instagram an army of #exmo creators take on controversial aspects of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ history. WSJ’s Georgia Wells reports on the growing online #exmo community and how the church is pushing back. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Why Utah Is Regulating Mom Influencers - The Mormon Church's $100 Billion Secret Fund Si...
Steve Happ was packing to leave Tennessee for an evangelical mission to Uganda in 2023 when Bank of America told him it was canceling his church’s bank account and his credit cards. Happ soon became the symbol of a conservative complaint: Financial institutions are allegedly ’debanking’ people because of their religious or political views . WSJ’s Alexander Saeedy on President Trump’s fight with the banks over debanking. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: -How a New 'Anti-Woke' Bank Stumbled ...
For decades, one of the biggest questions fueling conspiracy theories has been: is the U.S. government hiding secret knowledge of extraterrestrial life ? But when the Pentagon started investigating , it uncovered a different kind of coverup. WSJ's Joel Schectman reports on what's in that investigation, and what the government ultimately decided to leave out of it. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - How a Balloon Burst U.S.-China Relations Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . ...
16 days into the government shutdown, services are unavailable and federal workers are facing instability. Both sides have dug in, with Democrats and Republicans pointing fingers at each other. WSJ’s Siobhan Hughes explains what it would take to end the shutdown. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: -Why This Government Shutdown Is Different -Kathy Hochul on Mamdani, Trump and Where Democrats Went Wrong Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...
Deep in a heavily guarded mountain hideout in the heart of the Sierra Madre mountains, a new drug king is reigning. He is 59-year-old Nemesio “Mencho” Oseguera and his cartel has achieved dominance capitalizing on America’s resurgent love of cocaine and the Trump administration’s escalating war on fentanyl . WSJ’s José de Córdoba recounts the rise. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The Drug You’ve Never Heard of Wreaking Havoc Across Europe - A Cocaine Kingpin and the Rise of Drug Violenc...
Tech giants are spending hundreds of billions of dollars on an AI building boom, constructing massive data centers like a sprawling new complex in Texas . Is this a necessary investment for the future, or are we witnessing the next tech bubble? WSJ’s Berber Jin and Eliot Brown follow the money and consider whether or not it adds up. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Artificial: The OpenAI Story - The Hidden Workforce That Helped Filter Violence and Abuse Out of ChatGPT - The Unraveling...
