WSJ What’s News

P.M. Edition for Oct. 20. The cost of home and auto insurance in the U.S. has risen so dramatically that lawmakers in some states are considering price controls. But, as WSJ reporter Jean Eaglesham tells us, that approach may have downsides. Plus, millions of internet users struggled to use major websites and apps today as an Amazon Web Services outage persisted for hours. And Apple closed at a record high following news of strong iPhone sales. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Oct. 20. Facebook, Snapchat and Robinhood are just a few of the hundreds of companies affected by the outage overnight. Trump vows to halt U.S. aid to Colombia, as the president turns up the heat on Latin America. And, U.S. stocks might be close to all time highs, but Rebecca Feng says warning signs are flashing just below the surface. Caitlin McCabe Hosts hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the land mania following the Revolutionary War to the AI craze now, speculation is in the American economy's DNA. These kinds of big bets have shaped our present and continue to fuel tomorrow's economic growth. Host Katherine Sullivan unpacks the past and future of American speculators. This episode is part of The Wall Street Journal’s USA250: The Story of the World’s Greatest Economy, a collection of articles, videos and podcasts aiming to offer a deeper understanding of how America has evolved. Further Reading: From Sports to AI, America Is Awash in Speculative Fever. Washington Is Egging It On. Capitalism and Democracy Often Clash in America. They Usually End Up Better for It. Financial Bubbles Happen Less Often Than You Think Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did the week’s AI dealmaking affect stocks? And why did President Trump’s comments on weight-loss drugs hurt pharma shares? Plus, how did the big six U.S. banks finish out the week after strong quarterly reports? Host Francesca Fontana discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Oct. 17. In recent weeks, President Trump has been tiptoeing away from some of the tariffs that underpin his signature trade policy, saying reciprocal tariffs don’t apply to dozens of different products. We hear from WSJ trade and economic policy reporter Gavin Bade about why that’s happening. Plus, a decade ago, Walmart rattled investors with a historic pay raise for employees to $9 an hour. WSJ reporter Sarah Nassauer tells us why today the move is considered a success. Plus, in a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House today, President Trump said he’d rather end the war in Ukraine than send Tomahawks to the country. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Oct. 17. The Justice Department has indicted former national security adviser John Bolton, charging the one-time Trump official with mishandling classified information. Plus, Venezuela’s president mobilizes the country’s troops in a show of defiance against the U.S. And WSJ autos reporter Stephen Wilmot explains why the auto industry is panicking over a chip shortage - and not the AI kind. Kate Bullivant hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Oct. 16. The auto-parts giant First Brands’ bankruptcy leaves investment bank Jefferies in the harsh spotlight of an accounting scandal. Plus, the endowments of American colleges posted their strongest returns in years. And after strong bank earnings this week, Heard on the Street writer Telis Demos discusses what might be missing in their reflection of the health of the economy. Sabrina Siddiqui hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Oct. 16. President Trump has authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuela, with the president saying land strikes in the country are also possible. Plus, Trump touts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pledge to pause Russian oil purchases, but WSJ's Tripti Lahiri says that might not be so straightforward. And as tech companies try to race ahead in the AI arms race, WSJ’s Jennifer Hiller details how an archaic U.S. power grid is leading companies to build their own power plants to fuel data centers. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Oct. 15. The September inflation data might be postponed, but consumers say they are feeling the squeeze of rising grocery prices now. Plus, big U.S. banks say the economy is strong. And WSJ European autos reporter Stephen Wilmot discusses how automakers are reacting as countries around the world roll back their goals for electric vehicles. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Oct. 15. Governors from 15 mainly blue states are forming a shadow public-health alliance, in a sign of growing resistance to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda. Plus, with the fight against Israel on pause, Hamas launches a violent crackdown on rival militias, seeking to assert its authority in Gaza. The WSJ’s Benoit Faucon explains how the infighting could complicate a peace plan that Israel has conditioned on Hamas disarming. And Beijing plays hardball on trade, in a bet that President Trump will fold before launching new tariffs that would roil markets. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Want to know how changes to 2026 Medicare plans could affect you? Check out our explainer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Oct. 14. Major banks including Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase exceeded third-quarter profit and revenue forecasts. WSJ banking and finance reporter Alexander Saeedy unpacks the results. Plus, WSJ’s Peter Grant explains why New York City’s office market is outpacing the rest of the country’s. And a youth-led revolt in Madagascar has resulted in a military coup. Sabrina Siddiqui hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Oct. 14. Beijing is eager to save an upcoming Trump-Xi summit, while Washington wants to stem losses in the stock market. And so WSJ editor Peter Landers explains that President Trump is taking a carrot and stick approach to trade tensions. Plus, we explore what a slew of results from America’s biggest banks say about the U.S. economy. And, WSJ’s Ken Thomas takes a look at which federal agencies are being hit the hardest by shutdown layoffs. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Oct. 13. After a momentous day in the Middle East, world leaders are looking ahead to the next phase of the cease-fire deal for Israel and Hamas. WSJ national security reporter Robbie Gramer discusses what’s to come from peace negotiations. Plus, three economists win the Nobel Prize for their work explaining how innovation drives economic growth. And all that investment in artificial intelligence is juicing the economy—is it also making workers more productive? We hear from WSJ reporter Justin Lahart on what the evidence shows. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Oct. 13. Cheers and celebrations erupt in Tel Aviv as all twenty living Israeli hostages are released by Hamas. It is a pivotal moment with President Trump telling reporters that “the war is over,” however WSJ correspondent Jared Malsin explains that significant obstacles remain in securing a long-term peace plan for the Middle East. Plus, President Trump threatens to send long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine in a bid to pressure Moscow into negotiating a peace deal. And Paramount is circling Warner Bros. Discovery as the push to take over the media giant appears to be heating up. Caitlin McCabe hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood is in transition, and it’s not clear what the film and television industry looks like on the other side. Between studios moving their productions out of California and the rise of artificial intelligence such as the AI-generated “actor” Tilly Norwood, many creatives in the Los Angeles area are struggling to keep steady employment. Joe Flint and Ben Fritz, who cover entertainment for the Journal, discuss the state of Hollywood and where L.A.'s entertainment economy could be headed. Kate Bullivant hosts. Further Reading L.A.’s Entertainment Economy Is Looking Like a Disaster Movie All the Hollywood Action Is Happening Everywhere but Hollywood Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What set off Wall Street’s “fear gauge”? And how did Delta’s earnings affect airline stocks? Plus, how did markets react to AMD’s new partnership with OpenAI? Host Francesca Fontana discusses the biggest stock moves of the week and the news that drove them. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Oct. 10. President Trump responded to recent Chinese actions targeting the U.S. by threatening higher tariffs and export controls on China—a move that sent U.S. markets falling. WSJ reporter Jack Pitcher explains the market reaction. Plus, the White House said today that it has begun mass layoffs of federal workers as a result of the government shutdown. And MIT has become the first university to reject a compact sent by the Trump administration last week offering colleges funding advantages. We hear from WSJ reporter Doug Belkin about why the university rejected it, and what it means for other universities faced with a similar proposal. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Oct. 10. President Trump's application of pressure is a key factor in securing a cease fire in Gaza after two years of conflict. WSJ’s Anat Peled explains what happens next, including Israeli forces withdrawing from parts of the Gaza Strip preparations for the release of the remaining Israeli hostages. Plus, a federal judge halts the deployment of National Guard troops onto the streets of Chicago. And the Nobel peace prize is awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado for her work promoting democracy and fighting dictatorship in the country. Kate Bullivant hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

P.M. Edition for Oct. 9. As the government shutdown stretches beyond a week, federal employees—including air-traffic controllers—are working without pay. WSJ reporter Anvee Bhutani discusses how a shortage of those workers could be crucial in the fight to end the government shutdown. Plus, the Israeli government is expected to vote on the hostage deal, as President Trump, whose administration helped broker the deal, offers details about its timeline. And Lay’s chips are getting a makeover for the MAHA era, with marketing that leans into the brand’s farm roots. We hear from Journal reporter Laura Cooper about why Lay’s owner PepsiCo is making the change at this key moment for its business. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Oct. 9. Israel and Hamas agree to the first phase of President Trump’s peace plan, with all hostages set to be released and Israeli troops to withdraw to an agreed-upon area. The WSJ’s Michael Amon explains what happens next. Plus, senior Republicans quietly advise the White House against mass layoffs and cuts during the shutdown. And France’s Macron says he plans to appoint a new prime minister, shelving the threat of snap elections… though as the WSJ’s Stacy Meichtry explains, the way out of the country’s fiscal quagmire is still far from clear. Kate Bullivant hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices