The Economy Is Booming. Why Does It Feel Like a Bust?

This past summer, employees at OpenAI had a meeting. On the table were about 10 cases where users discussed violence. Months later, one of those users committed one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history. Sam Altman wrote an apology letter to the devastated town of Tumbler Ridge. WSJ’s Georgia Wells reports on why OpenAI resisted internal calls to alert law enforcement. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - A Troubled Man and His Chatbot  - Artificial: The OpenAI Story Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For 70 years, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola have teamed up as fast food juggernauts. WSJ’s Heather Haddon and Laura Cooper explore how changing consumer tastes and increasing competition are challenging their iconic brand partnership. Imani Moise hosts. Further Listening: - McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both? - 'It Came out of Nowhere': The Rise of Dr Pepper - KFC Got Fried in the Chicken Wars. Can It Come Back? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan died this week at the age of 100. He was a towering figure in modern finance who oversaw unprecedented growth in the US economy. But Greenspan was also blamed for stripping away safeguards that might have prevented the Great Recession. WSJ’s Nick Timiraos explains that while Greenspan retired two decades ago, his ideas are providing a model for the new Fed chairman Kevin Warsh. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Who Is the New Fed Chair? - Barney Frank’s Legacy of Financial Reform  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cultivated a close relationship with President Donald Trump. But in recent weeks Trump has grown frustrated with Netanyahu over the war with Iran. The relationship has major ramifications for a region on the cusp of a potential peace deal, whose future could be undone by further military attacks by Israel. WSJ’s Josh Dawsey takes us inside the complex dynamic between the two leaders. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Iran Thinks It’s Winning the War - Israel Wants "Decisive Victory" in Iran. Is It Succeeding? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial intelligence is driving up the cost of the chips inside your iPhone. In an exclusive interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook warned that price increases are “unavoidable.” WSJ’s Rolfe Winkler breaks down how AI companies’ race for memory and storage has sent chip prices soaring, forcing Apple to choose between shrinking profits and charging customers more. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - Tim Cook Built the Apple Empire. What’s Next for His Successor?  - The Nvidia CEO’s Quest to Sell Chips in China  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holding students back in school once came with a negative connotation. But with college athletes now able to earn endorsement deals, they are preparing younger and younger to be recruited and potentially get paid. WSJ's Harriet Ryan reports on the rise of special middle schools where students hold themselves back on purpose so they can grow, develop and mature before high school. Ryan Knutson hosts.   Further Listening: - Inside the Black Market for High School Football Players- NCAA President on a New Era for College Sports - How Gamblers Are Rigging College Basketball Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stock markets are hitting record highs, the job market is doing fine and productivity is up. Yet many Americans are feeling strapped despite the positive data. WSJ’s Harriet Torry explains the contradictory signals. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - The Energy Shock Is Here - Germany’s Economy Is Spiraling. Can War Fix It? Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The initial public offering for SpaceX crowned Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. WSJ’s Theo Francis takes us inside the staggering finances of the world’s richest man, and explores what the impact of his new status might be. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Is SpaceX Worth the Hype? - The Great IPO Frenzy of 2026 - Musk vs. Altman Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2026 is set to be a monster year for tech IPOs. SpaceX hit the market with a blockbuster $1.77 trillion valuation while Anthropic and OpenAI are set to go public later this year. WSJ’s investing columnist Spencer Jakab takes us inside the IPO bonanza and explores the risks potentially hiding behind all the hype. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - Is SpaceX Worth the Hype? - Musk vs. Altman Sign up for the Markets A.M. newsletter, The Wall Street Journal's daily investing outlook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the World Cup begins, we bring you a two-part Sunday special charting how FIFA built the World Cup into a global phenomenon. In Part 2, WSJ sports journalists Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson explore FIFA under its current president Gianni Infantino and how he has maximized revenue for FIFA by exploiting new markets for soccer in the Arab world and the U.S. at the expense of the sport’s longstanding fanbase. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - The World Cup Story, Part 1: Soccer and Scandal Sign up for WSJ’s free Sports newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices