WSJ What’s News

The Wall Street Journal

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. read less

Our Editor's Take

It's not often a podcast is published this frequently. With ten episodes each week, What's News is a podcast from The Wall Street Journal that keeps pace with the latest news around the globe. The world moves fast and this news podcast keeps up. The Wall Street Journal is a respected publication known for detailed reporting. Staying aware of global events is challenging and time-consuming. Thankfully, this podcast solves both of those problems for listeners.

Staying in the loop about market movements and worldwide headlines is a full-time effort. It's impossible to stay informed without consistent updates. This podcast gives listeners an excellent and simple way to follow the news during the day. The What's News podcast from The Wall Street Journal is an easy choice for anyone wanting critical news, fast.

With two updates every weekday, this WSJ podcast is a rapid-fire collection of the most recent headlines. Each episode provides breakdowns of fresh headlines that include financial, political, international, and economic news.

Joining Annmarie and Luke on the podcast are reporters with exclusive insights. These guests are often the journalists who researched the stories, making them a tremendous addition to the show. What's News often delivers information straight from the source.

This is a podcast for those who want a concise look at brand new headlines. It's streamlined, informative, and direct. For those who want unbiased reporting on a daily basis, What's News is a quick, helpful podcast. News podcast listeners should consider What's News a required resource.

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South Korean President Drops Martial-Law Order After Opposition Backlash

South Korean President Drops Martial-Law Order After Opposition Backlash

P.M. Edition for Dec. 3. Political turmoil in South Korea after the country’s president declared and then lifted a martial-law order. And WSJ White House reporter Annie Linskey on how U.S. President Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden undercuts the Democrats’ fight against President-elect Donald Trump. Plus, WSJ reporter Esther Fung on what Trump’s looming tariffs might mean for a railroad connecting the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episodes

South Korean President Drops Martial-Law Order After Opposition Backlash

South Korean President Drops Martial-Law Order After Opposition Backlash

P.M. Edition for Dec. 3. Political turmoil in South Korea after the country’s president declared and then lifted a martial-law order. And WSJ White House reporter Annie Linskey on how U.S. President Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter Biden undercuts the Democrats’ fight against President-elect Donald Trump. Plus, WSJ reporter Esther Fung on what Trump’s looming tariffs might mean for a railroad connecting the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zelensky Floats Peace Deal in Exchange for NATO Membership

Zelensky Floats Peace Deal in Exchange for NATO Membership

A.M. Edition for Dec. 3. Ukraine’s president shifts his rhetoric about what it would take to end the war with Russia, but the WSJ’s Laurence Norman says NATO is unlikely to offer Kyiv what it wants. Plus, a judge rejects Elon Musk’s multi-billion dollar Tesla pay package for a second time. And the WSJ’s Chun Han Wong explains how China’s Politburo is prescribing fewer meetings and less busywork to save the economy. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Elon Musk’s Rivals Worry About His Power in the Trump Administration

Why Elon Musk’s Rivals Worry About His Power in the Trump Administration

P.M. Edition for Dec. 2. WSJ reporter Keach Hagey discusses how Elon Musk's ascent to power alongside President-elect Donald Trump could threaten his business rivals. And manufacturing reporter Bob Tita explains why U.S. steelmakers want Trump to levy more tariffs on international competitors. Plus, Intel’s CEO resigns after struggling to turn the chip maker around. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biden Pardons Son Hunter

Biden Pardons Son Hunter

A.M. Edition for Dec. 2. The president wipes away his son’s criminal convictions on tax and gun charges–something he’d previously said he wouldn’t do. Plus, Russia joins Syrian regime forces in launching airstrikes after rebels shift the power balance with a surprise offensive. And, Europe’s relationship with the U.S. rests in no small part on how EU chief Ursula von der Leyen responds to Donald Trump’s threats over trade and defense. The WSJ’s Kim Mackrael explains how her team is preparing. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Airlines Bet You’ll Pay More for Premium Travel Options

Airlines Bet You’ll Pay More for Premium Travel Options

Nov. 29 Edition. WSJ’s Alison Sider explains how this week’s air-travel crush is likely to cement the shift toward an upselling model that has helped United and Delta dominate industry profits. Plus, Canada’s antitrust watchdog sues Google, saying it acted unlawfully in growing its market share in the online-advertising marketplace. And Australia passes a landmark social-media ban for children under the age of 16. Luke Vargas hosts. Programming note: The next episode of What's News will be released Monday morning. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kohl’s CEO Says the Retailer Has Made Mistakes

Kohl’s CEO Says the Retailer Has Made Mistakes

P.M. Edition for Nov. 27. WSJ retail reporter Suzanne Kapner explains how Kohl’s mistakes hurt sales and how the retailer is changing course. And megastar Taylor Swift is selling her new book exclusively at Target. Deputy bureau chief for our media team Melissa Korn talks about the unusual book deal. Plus, three Americans are on their way back to the U.S. after China released them from prison in a swap with the U.S. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cease-Fire Takes Effect in Lebanon, Israel Says

Cease-Fire Takes Effect in Lebanon, Israel Says

A.M. Edition for Nov. 27. WSJ correspondent Jared Malsin in Beirut breaks down the overnight cease-fire deal brokered by the U.S. and France to end fighting in Lebanon and details the challenges that could test it in the weeks to come. Plus, Donald Trump rounds out his economic policy team. And how “data poisoning” by frustrated London diners is driving a surge in visitors to Angus Steakhouse in the British capital. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Markets Shrug Off Trump’s Latest Tariff Threats

Markets Shrug Off Trump’s Latest Tariff Threats

P.M. Edition for Nov. 26. Israel approves a cease-fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon. WSJ chief economics commentator Greg Ip makes sense of President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to hit trade allies Canada and Mexico with steep tariffs. Pharma reporter Peter Loftus explains why a highly anticipated obesity-drug candidate disappointed investors. And retail reporter Sarah Nassauer discusses Walmart’s reversal on its DEI initiatives. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s Tariff Plans Take Shape

Trump’s Tariff Plans Take Shape

A.M. Edition for Nov. 26. Donald Trump vows to slap 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports from day one and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports, stirring currency markets. Plus, with the President-elect directly linking these new levies to the international narcotics trade, we ask WSJ correspondent Brian Spegele whether Trump’s hardball tactics on China will work to ease the fentanyl crisis. And the White House proposes a big coverage expansion plan for Medicare and Medicaid to pay for popular weight-loss drugs. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Bitcoin Buyer MicroStrategy Is Doing Even Better Than Bitcoin

Why Bitcoin Buyer MicroStrategy Is Doing Even Better Than Bitcoin

P.M. Edition for Nov. 25. Software intelligence company MicroStrategy makes another big bitcoin purchase. WSJ cryptocurrency reporter Vicky Ge Huang explains why investors have been betting on the company’s strategy. And retail reporter Suzanne Kapner discusses Macy’s $154 million accounting error. Plus, U.S. tax policy reporter Richard Rubin details the tightrope Republican lawmakers are walking as they work on a tax bill in time for Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Markets Cheer Trump’s Treasury Secretary Pick

Markets Cheer Trump’s Treasury Secretary Pick

A.M. Edition for Nov. 25. The WSJ’s Alex Frangos says hedge-fund manager Scott Bessent is seen as a more predictable pick to lead the Treasury Department. Plus, Donald Trump considers two defense financiers for a top job at the Pentagon. And WSJ’s Take On the Week co-host Telis Demos joins us for a stock-take on the commercial real estate sector–and prescribes a health check-up for your investment portfolio. Kate Bullivant hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Securing Biden’s Legacy and What’s Next for the Democrats

Securing Biden’s Legacy and What’s Next for the Democrats

Soon President Biden will leave the White House and Democrats will lose their majority in the Senate. WSJ White House reporter Annie Linskey tells us how the Administration is trying to secure his legacy. And, how did the Democrats lose the House, the Senate and the White House? Former executive Washington editor Jerry Seib talks about what went wrong for the Democrats and how they might find their way back into power. Charlotte Gartenberg hosts. Further Reading The Democrats Need Another Bill Clinton Trump Win Marks a Blow to Biden’s Legacy Which Leaders Will Rise From the Ashes of the Democrats’ Defeat? A Wistful Biden Says Goodbye in a Closing Appearance on the World Stage Harris’s Loss Triggers Soul-Searching, Recriminations Within Democratic Party Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s News in Markets: Retail Divergence, Alphabet Dives, Gap Glow-Up

What’s News in Markets: Retail Divergence, Alphabet Dives, Gap Glow-Up

Why did investors diverge on retail rivals Target and Walmart? And how did a Justice Department proposal for Google affect Alphabet stock? Plus, what drove the Gap share glow-up? 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

Why Does a Miami Investor Want to Buy Russia’s Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline?

Why Does a Miami Investor Want to Buy Russia’s Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline?

P.M. Edition for Nov. 22. The Wall Street Journal’s Chris Matthews on the American businessman asking the U.S. for permission to bid on the natural gas pipeline, which runs from Russia to Germany. And Journal agriculture business reporter Patrick Thomas discusses how farms are preparing for a possible labor crunch if the Trump Administration follows through on its planned deportation of undocumented migrants. Plus, WSJ economics reporter Harriet Torry explains how Republicans feeling happy about Donald Trump’s election helped raise U.S. consumer sentiment higher. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Courted Blue-Collar Workers. Will His Policies Favor Them?

Trump Courted Blue-Collar Workers. Will His Policies Favor Them?

A.M. Edition for Nov. 22. The WSJ’s Paul Kiernan says the incoming administration will have to reconcile Republicans’ traditional resistance to unions and workplace rules with a “New Right” that says it wants to empower workers. Plus, Trump picks Pam Bondi to run the Justice Department hours after Matt Gaetz withdraws from consideration. And Huawei plans to roll out its most advanced made-in-China phone chip, challenging Apple in its second-largest market. Kate Bullivant hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Will Trump’s Team Do About His Conflicting Growth and Trade Agendas?

What Will Trump’s Team Do About His Conflicting Growth and Trade Agendas?

P.M. Edition for Nov. 21. WSJ chief economics commentator Greg Ip explains how President-elect Trump’s economic team will work on his policy priorities. And Justice Department reporter Sadie Gurman discusses the fallout from former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s withdrawal of his U.S. attorney general nomination. Plus, WSJ Middle Eastern correspondent Omar Abdel-Baqui discusses the implications of the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tracie Hunte hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google Must Sell Chrome Browser, DOJ Says

Google Must Sell Chrome Browser, DOJ Says

A.M. Edition for Nov. 21. The Justice Department says Google should spin off its popular browser as part of a court-ordered fix to its monopolization of the online-search market. Plus, Ukraine says Russia fired an intercontinental ballistic missile against it for the first time in the war. And the WSJ’s Sara Randazzo breaks down Donald Trump’s plans for the Education Department, starting with his selection of a loyalist to head it. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Walmart Gobble Up Other Retailers’ Holiday Sales?

Will Walmart Gobble Up Other Retailers’ Holiday Sales?

P.M. Edition for Nov. 20. Heard on the Street columnist Jinjoo Lee explains how Walmart is outpacing competitors. And WSJ reporter Heather Somerville discusses the Pentagon’s move to buy thousands of surveillance drones from a little known Utah manufacturer. Plus, the U.S. House of Representatives ethics committee declines to release its report on President-elect Donald Trump’s Attorney General nominee Matt Gaetz. Tracie Hunte 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 in Earnings: Insights Into Banks, EVs, Retail and AI

What's News in Earnings: Insights Into Banks, EVs, Retail and AI

Bonus Episode for Nov. 20. In What's News in Earnings, we dig into earnings season with a slate of WSJ reporters to find out what companies' quarterly financial reports and earnings calls showed about what’s going on under the hood of the American economy. Auto-industry reporter Sean McLain explains w hy executives will be looking at Toyota in the coming year. Banking reporter Alexander Saeedylooks at the spli t in Americans' finances revealed by the latest earnings from big banks including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America. Retail reporter Sarah Nassauer discusses why some retailers such as Walmart and IKEA say they are hitting pricing limits ahead of Black Friday. And technology reporter Miles Kruppa explains why it isn’t clear from Microsoft’s and Alphabet’s reports when their massive investment in generative AI might pay off. Chip Cutter hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Markets A.M. newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. Businesses Stockpile, Weigh Price Hikes Ahead of China Tariffs

U.S. Businesses Stockpile, Weigh Price Hikes Ahead of China Tariffs

A.M. Edition for Nov. 20. WSJ China economics reporter Hannah Miao explains the preemptive steps companies reliant on Chinese imports are taking as they brace for a possible trade war between Washington and Beijing. Plus, Donald Trump picks Linda McMahon to lead the Education Department. And Comcast greenlights a spinoff of NBCUniversal’s cable channels, once considered among its most attractive assets. Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices