WSJ's Take On the Week

Epizodes

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  The Buried $150B Bet Inside the Top 20 U.S. Stocks 26.07.2026 32min
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  How This $150B+ Wall Street Strategy Could Lower Your Taxes 19.07.2026 34min

  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 Test 12.07.2026 37min

  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.
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  Can Hot Consumer Companies Like Oura and Whoop Make Good IPOs? 28.06.2026 39min

  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. 
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  ​How Big Tech’s Financials Obscure the True Cost of the AI Buildout 21.06.2026 28min

  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. 
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  The Hidden Risks of Buying Into Mega-IPOs Like SpaceX 14.06.2026 33min

  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. 
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  NYU’s ‘Dean of Valuation’: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Isn’t Worth $1.77 Trillion 07.06.2026 36min

  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. 
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  Why This Ex-Trump Economist Says the Fed Needs to Raise Interest Rates 31.05.2026 29min

  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 ReadingTrump 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. 
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  From Walmart to Wall Street: Who Is Really Winning in This Economy? 17.05.2026 31min

  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.
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  Billionaire Investor on the Data Center Boom and Oil's Breaking Point 10.05.2026 32min

  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. 
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  Josh Brown’s ‘HALO’ Stocks Strategy: Investing in What AI Can’t Replicate 03.05.2026 35min

  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? 26.04.2026 33min

  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. 
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  Why This Economist Says Immigration Crackdown is Reshaping U.S. Job Growth 19.04.2026 31min

  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. 
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  Why Carson Block Says AI and Passive Investing Could Break the Stock Market 12.04.2026 26min

  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. 
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  How Emerging-Market Bonds Can Hedge Against U.S. Market Volatility 29.03.2026 26min

  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. 
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  Will High Oil Prices Kill Demand? Why JPMorgan Says Book Your Travel Now 22.03.2026 29min

  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. 
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  Why a Closed Strait of Hormuz Is a ‘Smoking Risk’ for Global Markets 15.03.2026 28min

  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. 
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  Is Bitcoin Still 'Digital Gold'? How Investors See It Now 08.03.2026 30min

  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. 
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  The Inflation Debate That Will Shape the Fed’s Plans for Interest Rates 01.03.2026 28min

  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. 
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  Could AI Disruption Fears Trigger a Software M&A Boom? 22.02.2026 26min

  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.