WSJ's Take On the Week

The Wall Street Journal

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. We cut through the noise and dive into markets, the economy and finance. Join The Wall Street Journal's Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried 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. The duo will bring actionable insights to a range of investors and business leaders while also entertaining a broader audience with lively, relatable conversations. Episodes drop Sundays.

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127 episodes
Updated July 26

Episodes127

Newest first

Oct 2, 2025 · 32 min
Will AI Spending Pay Off? Or Are We in a Bubble?
Artificial intelligence spending is hitting epic levels as Big Tech companies shell out for massive data centers to power new chatbots and other AI services. But will the spending--expected to amount to trillions of dollars in the coming years--pay off for investors? This week on our columnists roundtable, business and finance editor Alex Frangos, markets reporter Chelsey Dulaney and senior markets columnist James Mackintosh are joined by Heard on the Street tech columnist Dan Gallagher to discu
Sep 28, 2025 · 24 min
Automakers Are Hitting the Brakes on EVs. Will That Help Their Stocks?
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos kick things off by talking about perpetual futures or “perps,” which are offering turbocharged bets on bitcoin. Next, with the September jobs report out this week, they break down what investors should be looking out for beyond the headline number. Later in the show, Telis is joined by John Murphy, a managing director of strategic advisory at Haig Partners, for a deep dive into what the end of the EV tax su
Sep 25, 2025 · 27 min
Gold Is at Record High. Is It Still Time to Buy?
Gold prices are up more than 40% this year, on track for their best year since 1979—when a global energy crisis fueled an inflationary shock that thrashed the world economy. And while it's a very different economy today, with stocks hitting record highs on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, gold serves as a form of insurance for a diversified investor, particularly when facing risks such as inflation, government debt, war, and questions about the Federal Reserve’s independence under President Trump. This w
Sep 21, 2025 · 35 min
Billionaire Investor Cliff Asness on Managing Market Risk and 'Buffer' ETFs
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos talk to billionaire investor Cliff Asness, the co-founder and chief investment officer of AQR Capital Management. AQR is a global investment management firm known for quantitative investing, an approach that builds strategies based on data and research. Asness discusses one of the market's biggest trends: the explosion in popular ETFs designed to protect investors from downturns. But do they actually work?
Sep 18, 2025 · 30 min
The ‘Infinite Money Glitch’ Making the Trump Family Millions
The Trump family’s latest venture—a so-called “crypto treasury” stock—could generate their biggest payday through the WLFI token from World Liberty Financial, while being a potential minefield for investors. The offering follows the success of Michael Saylor's MicroStrategy, now renamed as Strategy, a “bitcoin treasury company” that accumulates bitcoin by using debt and new stock issues to keep on buying more. Listen in on a conversation between some of The Wall Street Journal's sharpest financi
Sep 17, 2025 · 1 min
Introducing: Ticker Shock
Listen in on conversations of The Wall Street Journal's sharpest financial minds. Featuring the Journal’s award-winning columnists and writers Alex Frangos, Chelsey Dulaney and James Mackintosh, the podcast provides insights to help finance-curious listeners connect the dots between what's happening in policy, markets and the economy to their financial lives and investments.
Sep 14, 2025 · 24 min
Who Really Pays for Tariffs? Citi’s Trade Lead on the Economic Impact
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos talk about Oracle's shocking more than 40% stock surge after the technology company said it won several billion-dollar contracts in its latest quarter, and what it signals about the future of the AI investment boom. Next, they explore the Federal Reserve's tricky position as it weighs a weakening jobs report against persistent inflation. Lastly, the hosts ponder how U.S. tariffs are complicating the economi
Sep 7, 2025 · 25 min
Why This Economist Says Government Economic Surveys Can’t Be Replaced
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos talk about the bond market, the post-Labor Day volatility it experienced due to concerns over the Federal Reserve’s independence, investors piling into gold, and the U.S.’s potential loss of its tariff income stream after a decision by a Court of Appeals. Later in the show, Telis is joined by Dana M. Peterson, chief economist and leader of the Economy, Strategy & Finance Center at the Conference Board. The
Aug 24, 2025 · 23 min
Barclays Analyst on How Retail Stocks Are Managing Tariffs
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Gunjan Banerji and guest co-host Miriam Gottfried dive into the big questions around the AI trade after last week's stumble. Could Nvidia’s earnings this week shift things back? Meanwhile, Gunjan points out a shift under the market’s surface: a rotation into blue chips as tech takes a back seat. Plus, earnings from Target and Walmart offer mixed signals on retail. Later, Miriam and Adrienne Yih, senior retail analyst at Barclays, are set
Aug 17, 2025 · 23 min
Does the Weak Housing Market Signal a Coming Recession?
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos dissect the latest consumer price index data and how its results have U.S. markets asking: “Will the Federal Reserve cut rates in September?” Next, Gunjan explains how a new generation of investors are “buying the dip” when markets decline. Plus, home-improvement retailers Home Depot and Lowe’s have earnings out this week. Then after the break, Gunjan sits down with Neil Dutta, head of economic research at
Aug 10, 2025 · 24 min
Are Stablecoins the Future of Payments? Mizuho Analyst Shares Insights
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest co-host Miriam Gottfried analyze the implications of a weak jobs report and the removal of Erika McEntarfer, the top official from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, examining how investors are grappling with the prospect of less-reliable economic data in the future. The discussion also covers this week's key CPI, PPI and business inventory reports. Plus, Telis offers a stablecoin primer befor
Aug 3, 2025 · 23 min
Is the Stock Market in a Speculative Bubble? T. Rowe Price CIO Weighs In
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos dive into how, for the first time, brokerages have taken out more than $1 trillion dollars in margin debt to buy stocks and other securities. Next, they chat about Robinhood’s blowout earnings as another sign of market exuberance, and why investors are eagerly awaiting software and data analytics company Palantir's earnings this week. Then after the break, Sébastien Page, head of global multi-asset and chi
Jul 27, 2025 · 23 min
How to Navigate an AI Bull Market, With Tech Investor Imran Khan
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos start the show by digging into the meme-stock mania surrounding OpenDoor, Krispy Kreme and Kohl’s, and how the factors driving this are different from 2021. Then they get into President Trump’s latest trade deal with Japan and how it’s showing up in auto-sector trades. Plus, some economic talk ahead of the Federal Reserve’s meeting this week to discuss interest rates, and the release of the latest jobs report.
Jul 19, 2025 · 23 min
Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee On Tariffs, Inflation and AI
In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos are joined by Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and voting member of the 2025 FOMC Committee, to discuss the economy, inflation, tariffs, escalating trade wars and the Federal Reserve's approach to monetary policy. Goolsbee explains how the economic conditions and the Fed’s dual mandate of stable prices and maximum employment plays into his decision making on cutting interest ra
Jul 13, 2025 · 26 min
Morgan Stanley Exec on the IPO Market, Robinhood’s Tokenized Stocks and More
After a couple years in a slump, the market for initial public offerings has been stronger this year. In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, host Telis Demos is joined by Arnaud Blanchard, global co-head of equity capital markets at Morgan Stanley, to discuss how recent IPO deals from companies like Chime and Voyager Technologies are giving the market a bump, where IPOs are expected to go in the second half of 2025 and if there is any chance of the market returning to its 2021 highs.
Jul 2, 2025 · 23 min
Why This Fed President Is in No Rush to Cut Interest Rates
With mounting pressure from President Trump and investors to lower interest rates, all eyes are on the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision later this month. In this bonus episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Gunjan Banerji is joined by Tom Barkin, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, to discuss the future of monetary policy, inflation and tariffs, and why he’s in no rush to cut interest rates. Plus, Barkin shares why he likens the current economic environment to “
Jun 29, 2025 · 23 min
Barclays Analyst on What Investors Should Know About Trump’s Tax Bill
In this episode of WSJ's Take On the Week, we jump straight into a topic on many minds: the GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill. Co-hosts Gunjan Banerji and Telis Demos are joined by Michael McLean, public policy senior analyst at Barclays, to unpack what some investors are paying attention to when it comes to the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill. McLean explains the differing viewpoints between Washington and Wall Street and the role of a rising U.S. deficit. Plus, the hosts share and answer listener ques
Jun 22, 2025 · 27 min
What 401(k) Investors Need to Know About Private Markets
On this special episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-host Telis Demos and guest co-host Miriam Gottfried explain why the private market has its eyes on your 401(k) retirement savings account. To offer insight into what that means for retirement savers, we’ll be joined by two separate guests. The first is Holly Verdeyen, partner and U.S. defined contribution leader at Mercer, a human resources consultant and asset manager. Verdeyen shares why and how the addition of private investment assets to
Jun 18, 2025 · 19 min
How Has Investing in DEI and ESG Changed Under Trump?
With companies like Target blaming DEI backlash for lower sales while competitors like Costco are seeing boosts in foot traffic, how can a company’s DEI commitments affect investors with a socially conscious approach to investing? In this special bonus episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, guest host Miriam Gottfried is joined by Rachel Robasciotti, founder and Co-CEO of investment firm Adasina Social Capital. Adasina runs an exchange-traded fund dedicated to it called “social justice investing” t
Jun 15, 2025 · 21 min
Is Investing in Treasury Bonds Still Low Risk? Bank of America Strategist Weighs In
On WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Gunjan Banerji start the show by explaining how financial trading platform Robinhood’s stock may tell investors what they need to know about the markets right now. They discuss how company’s CEO, Vlad Tenev, recently visited the White House to discuss “MAGA Accounts,” President Trump’s proposal for a new tax-preferred savings account for children. Plus, with the Federal Reserve’s next interest-rate decision coming this week, the hosts share how

WSJ's Take On the Week

Will AI Spending Pay Off? Or Are We in a Bubble?

Automakers Are Hitting the Brakes on EVs. Will That Help Their Stocks?

Gold Is at Record High. Is It Still Time to Buy?

Billionaire Investor Cliff Asness on Managing Market Risk and 'Buffer' ETFs

The ‘Infinite Money Glitch’ Making the Trump Family Millions

Introducing: Ticker Shock

Who Really Pays for Tariffs? Citi’s Trade Lead on the Economic Impact

Why This Economist Says Government Economic Surveys Can’t Be Replaced

Barclays Analyst on How Retail Stocks Are Managing Tariffs

Does the Weak Housing Market Signal a Coming Recession?

Are Stablecoins the Future of Payments? Mizuho Analyst Shares Insights

Is the Stock Market in a Speculative Bubble? T. Rowe Price CIO Weighs In

How to Navigate an AI Bull Market, With Tech Investor Imran Khan

Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee On Tariffs, Inflation and AI

Morgan Stanley Exec on the IPO Market, Robinhood’s Tokenized Stocks and More

Why This Fed President Is in No Rush to Cut Interest Rates

Barclays Analyst on What Investors Should Know About Trump’s Tax Bill

What 401(k) Investors Need to Know About Private Markets

How Has Investing in DEI and ESG Changed Under Trump?

Is Investing in Treasury Bonds Still Low Risk? Bank of America Strategist Weighs In