An Economy Built on Speculation—for Better and for Worse
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
--------
25:51
--------
25:51
What’s News in Markets: AI Deals, Trump on Pharma, Banks Split
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
--------
6:09
--------
6:09
The Trump Administration Is Quietly Watering Down Some Tariffs
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
--------
13:11
--------
13:11
Jefferies Faces Questions After First Brands’ Collapse
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
--------
12:57
--------
12:57
How The AI Race is Driving an Energy Wild West
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
What's News brings you the biggest news of the day, from business and finance to global and political developments that move markets. Get caught up in minutes twice a day on weekdays, then take a step back with our What’s News in Markets wrap-up on Saturday and our What’s News Sunday deep dive.
New Zealand