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 [email protected]. 

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 [email protected]. 

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 [email protected]. 

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 [email protected]. 

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 [email protected]. 

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 [email protected]. 

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 [email protected].

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 [email protected]. 

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 [email protected]. 

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 [email protected].

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.