WSJ's Take On the Week

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.

  1. 2 HR AGO

    Why Carson Block Says AI and Passive Investing Could Break the Stock Market

    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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    29 min
  2. 29 MAR

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

    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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min
  3. 22 MAR

    Will High Oil Prices Kill Demand? Why JPMorgan Says Book Your Travel Now

    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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min
  4. 15 MAR

    Why a Closed Strait of Hormuz Is a ‘Smoking Risk’ for Global Markets

    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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min
  5. 8 MAR

    Is Bitcoin Still 'Digital Gold'? How Investors See It Now

    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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min
  6. 1 MAR

    The Inflation Debate That Will Shape the Fed’s Plans for Interest Rates

    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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min
  7. 22 FEB

    Could AI Disruption Fears Trigger a Software M&A Boom?

    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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min
  8. 15 FEB

    The Consumer Shock From Tariffs Isn't Over. When Will Prices Peak?

    In this week's episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Miriam Gottfried and Telis Demos are joined by Frances Donald, chief economist at Royal Bank of Canada, to break down the K-shaped economy, where different groups are thriving financially while others struggle. They ask: How could Walmart hit a trillion-dollar market capitalization despite consumer sentiment near record lows? Next, Donald analyzes what could be hiding the true health of the American household, from front-loading purchases ahead of potential tariffs to buy now, pay later programs. After the break, Donald explains how the U.S. can sustain growth despite a massive wave of Boomer retirements. Then Donald breaks down why AI may no longer be a threat to the workforce but a necessary rescue for a shrinking labor pool. 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 The Two-Speed Economy Is Back as Low-Income Americans Give Up Gains Weak Hiring, Layoff Plans Paint a Gloomy Labor-Market Picture Walmart Reaches $1 Trillion Market Cap as Its E-Commerce Boom 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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    30 min

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About

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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