WSJ What’s News

Several big M&A deals have been announced in the U.S. in the last few months, including a deal uniting Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to create the first coast-to-coast rail operator in U.S. history. WSJ lead deals reporter Lauren Thomas discusses why we’re seeing so many deals, what’s in store for big tie-ups and where this M&A trend is headed. Alex Ossola hosts. Further Reading It’s a Scorching Hot Summer for Deals on Wall Street. Vacation Can Wait.   Trump Fast-Tracks Deregulatory Push at Consumer-Protection Bureau    Top Justice Department Antitrust Officials Fired Amid Internal Feud Dealmakers Are Struggling to Make Sense of Trump’s Antitrust Policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What caused Intel’s share price to bounce back? And how did Amazon’s new same-day grocery delivery rollout affect its shares? Plus, how did a $160 million tariff hit cause turmoil for Tapestry? Host Liz Young 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.  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 Aug. 15. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have begun their face-to-face meeting in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. We talk to WSJ reporter Jim Carlton, who is in Anchorage, about where the leaders stand going into the summit and the vibe on the ground. Plus, tariffs have hit their highest rate in decades, but inflation hasn’t surged—and economists are puzzled. WSJ economics reporter Konrad Putzier discusses a theory about why that happens. And EV maker Rivian says a change to U.S. fuel economy rules is holding up $100 million in revenue. Ryan Felton, who covers the auto industry for the Journal, explains the change and what it means for the EV industry. 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 Aug 15. People familiar with the matter say the chip maker is in talks with the Trump administration, as WSJ reporter Stu Woo explains. Plus, ahead of the landmark summit in Alaska between President Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, WSJ South Europe bureau chief Marcus Walker explains how Ukraine’s military seems to have accepted the reality that it may not be able to win back its lost territory. And, Apple reinstates its blood oxygen monitoring feature in some of its watches following a bruising patent dispute. Azhar Sukri 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 Aug. 14. Faced with budget shortfalls and preexisting deficits, state and local legislators are looking for ways to get more in taxes from their richest residents. WSJ economics reporter Juliet Chung describes how they’re approaching it. Plus, U.S. mortgage rates fall to their lowest level this year, offering hope to prospective buyers. And more of Americans’ retirement funds are tied to stocks than ever. Anne Tergesen, who covers retirement for the Journal, joins the podcast to discuss the risks involved. 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 Aug 14. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky lands in the U.K. to shore up support ahead of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, WSJ correspondent Matthew Luxmoore says prisoner swaps provide an example of how Russia and Ukraine can cooperate in the future. Plus, why the era of big raises for low-paid workers is over. And WSJ’s Amrith Ramkumar details how Democrats are trying to reinvigorate waning support from tech executives. 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 Aug. 13. A revived tax deduction is prompting tech startups to dust off their hiring plans. WSJ special writer Theo Francis discusses the change and its implications. Plus, the New York Attorney General is suing the parent company of payments platform Zelle for allegedly failing to protect users from fraud. We hear from Journal reporter Dylan Tokar about why the suit, which was abandoned by a now-dismantled federal watchdog for consumers, may not be the last of its kind to come from attorneys general of democratic states. And President Trump meets with European leaders to discuss red lines in Ukraine. WSJ chief European political correspondent Bojan Pancevski joins to talk about how the call went and what it means ahead of Trump’s planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. 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 Aug 13. Their crypto-currency venture has generated more wealth since the election - some $4.5 billion - than any other part of the president’s business empire, as WSJ senior reporter Patricia Kowsmann explains. Plus, hundreds of National Guard troops begin patrolling Washington D.C. And WSJ reporter Vipal Monga explains how some Canadians are using alcohol as a new front in their country’s trade war with the U.S. 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 Aug. 12. As Google awaits a judge’s ruling that could require it to spin off its Chrome browser, AI startup Perplexity makes an unsolicited $34.5 billion bid to buy Chrome. Journal reporter Katherine Blunt discusses what we know about the offer, and how likely it is to actually happen. Plus, President Trump calls for Goldman Sachs to replace its chief economist over his past predictions of the impact of tariffs. And the White House plans to review materials from the Smithsonian museums ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary. WSJ White House reporter Meridith McGraw explains why. 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 Aug 12. After firing its former head, Trump says the Heritage Foundation’s current chief economist, E.J. Antoni, will ensure accuracy in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data. Plus, ahead of Friday’s summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, WSJ correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov explains why peace in Ukraine doesn’t seem to be a priority for Moscow. And WSJ reporter Clarence Leong details China’s massive new shipbuilding plans. Azhar Sukri 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 Aug. 11. Speaking from the White House this morning, the president compared the homicide rate in Washington with capitals around the world and said he would also put D.C. police under federal control. Plus, 50% tariffs on aluminum imports went into effect in June, and beverage, auto and manufacturing companies are hurting. Ryan Dezember, who covers commodities for the Journal, discusses how the U.S. aluminum industry’s answer to boosting the domestic supply of aluminum might currently be in your recycling bin. And Ford Motor has announced a $2 billion investment in a Louisville, Kentucky factory to build high-tech, affordable electric vehicles. WSJ reporter Sharon Terlep discusses how that might help the company take on the makers of cheap Chinese 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

Bonus Episode for Aug. 11. Shares of publicly traded private-equity firms like Blackstone and Apollo are down year-to-date, trailing the broader market, while shares of traditional asset managers like BlackRock have outperformed. Heard on the Street columnist Telis Demos discusses this divide and how it relates to the firms’ second-quarter earnings. WSJ reporter Miriam Gottfried hosts this special bonus episode of What's News in Earnings, where we dig into companies’ earnings reports and analyst calls to find out what’s going on under the hood of the American economy. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A.M. Edition for Aug 11. In a highly unusual deal, chip giants Nvidia and AMD will give the Trump administration 15% of their AI chip sales to China. Plus, Israel’s military kills five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, according to the network. This comes as Prime Minister Netanyahu revealed his new war plans include fighting in refugee camps. And, WSJ editor Aaron Zitner explains why the division between red and blue states is becoming deeper than ever. Azhar Sukri hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A surge in cyber attacks is increasingly hitting small businesses, the backbone of the U.S. economy. According to a forthcoming survey from Mastercard, nearly half of business owners have experienced a cyber attack, and nearly one in five that suffered an attack then filed for bankruptcy or closed their business. WSJ cybersecurity reporter James Rundle and Seyoung Jeon, lead cyber analyst at Security Intelligence Provider Dragonfly, discuss the vulnerabilities of small enterprises, what these attacks mean for the greater economy and what businesses can do to defend themselves. Kate Bullivant hosts. Further Reading Hackers Target Eldercare Homes For Some Companies, the Real Cost of a Cyberattack Is Telling Everyone About It New York Orders Local Governments to Start Reporting Cyberattacks Microsoft Alerts Firms to Server-Software Attack U.S. Tells Companies to Prepare for Iranian Cyberattacks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did Apple avoid tariffs on its chips? And are mortgage lenders Fannie and Freddie set to go public? Plus, what caused Crocs shares to plunge? Host Jack Pitcher 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 Aug. 8. In an exclusive, we’re reporting that the Trump administration is preparing an IPO for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac later this year, which it estimates could raise $30 billion. But WSJ capital markets reporter Corrie Driebusch says that key questions remain—including whether the companies will remain under government conservatorship. Plus, gold futures briefly surpassed a 45-year record before paring gains after the White House said it would clarify tariffs on gold. And nicotine is in, beer is out: What Americans’ changing vices mean for the companies behind the goods, and their stock prices. WSJ reporter Laura Cooper discusses how the companies are responding. 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 Aug 8. Wall Street is finally getting what it’s long hoped for - the ability to invest pension funds in assets like real-estate, crypto and private equity. But as WSJ deputy editor Quentin Webb explains, that doesn’t come without its risks. Plus, Israel’s cabinet approves Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial plan to take over Gaza City. And, why using old-school ways to land a job might be more effective than using AI to spray your resume all over the net. Azhar Sukri 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 Aug. 7. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his country will take control of the entire Gaza Strip. WSJ correspondent Dov Lieber fills us in on what we know about the plan so far. Plus, President Trump has called for Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan to resign over his ties to China. Amrith Ramkumar, who covers tech policy for the Journal, joins the podcast to discuss what this might mean for the troubled chip maker. And Firefly Aerospace becomes the third space or defense company to make its stock market debut this year. We hear from WSJ capital markets reporter Corrie Driebusch about what makes this sector so appealing to investors. 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 Aug 7. President Trump’s sweeping levies kicked in on dozens of countries just after midnight. But behind the scenes, negotiators are still racing to secure exemptions for key exports. Among them, chips, which are now subject to a 100% tariff - unless the importer invests in the U.S. And, the WSJ’s Stephen Wilmot and Jon Emont look at the outsize impact the trade war has had on the auto industry and the world’s poorest countries. Azhar Sukri 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 Aug. 6. President Trump’s tariffs have so far only caused minor disruptions. WSJ economics reporter Jeanne Whalen joins to discuss why we haven’t seen an economic earthquake. Plus, President Trump plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. And American carmakers are focusing less on electric vehicles and more on gas-guzzling vehicles like pickups and SUVs. We hear from Sharon Terlep, who covers the auto industry for the Journal, about what’s changed. Alex Ossola hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices