Author: The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Pokémon cards are beating the benchmark S&P 500 and tech stocks like Meta. WSJ’s Krystal Hur has been talking with a few collectors that have hit it big thanks to some prized sparkly cardboard from their childhoods. But are there signs of a bubble and that we’re reaching peak Pikachu? Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- The $55 Billion Deal to Take EA Private

- GameStop and the Rise of the Reddit Investor

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Kentucky Fried Chicken was once one of the biggest fast-food chain in America. Now, it’s battling declining U.S. sales as rivals attract customers with chicken sandwiches and tenders over KFC’s classic bucket of bone-in chicken. WSJ’s Heather Haddon reports on how the iconic chain is trying to turn things around. Ryan Knutson hosts. 

Further Listening:

- Can Pepsi Make a Comeback?

- McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both?

 

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Corporate layoffs have been rolling across American companies: Amazon, General Motors, Verizon, Target and Microsoft have all cut jobs. WSJ’s Chip Cutter takes us inside his conversations with CEOs about how hiring is changing, and what the AI era means for jobs. Ryan Knutson hosts.

Further Listening:

- Hollywood Jobs Are Disappearing

- Is the Economy Getting Better or Worse? The fed Says it’s Hard to Tell

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Once one of President Trump’s most strident allies, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is now arguing the president is out of touch with his political base. Trump, in turn, has called her a “traitor” and unendorsed her. As WSJ’s Olivia Beavers reports, Greene was one of a few Republicans who broke with Trump this year over the release of the Justice Department’s Jeffrey Epstein-related files. Now, with those files set to be released, Greene is redefining her political identity. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- Trump’s Letter to Jeffrey Epstein

- The Healthcare Fight at the Heart of the Longest Ever Shutdown

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After five quarters of lagging sales and a sluggish stock price, Nike CEO Elliott Hill is trying to turn things around. WSJ’s Inti Pacheco spoke with Hill to discuss Nike's return to its roots and plans for future innovation. Ryan Knutson hosts.

Further Listening:

- The Missteps That Led Nike Off Course

- Made in America? Shoe Companies Already Tried That.

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The daylight heist at the Louvre Museum in October, during which thieves made off with more than $100 million in crown jewels, captured the world's attention. But the theft was just one in a series that have taken place at museums all across France this year. WSJ’s Noemie Bisserbe explains how the wave of heists reveals deep-rooted security vulnerabilities in the country’s hundreds of museums— and raises questions about what it takes to protect national treasures. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- How an Antiques Dealer Uncovered a Massive Museum Heist

- Six Days of Chaos at MGM's Casinos

- How Investigators Cracked a $3.4 Billion Crypto Heist

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The repossession business is booming. More Americans are falling behind on their car payments, a sign that lower-income consumers are struggling. WSJ’s Scott Calvert recently joined a night shift with two repo men and learned that despite a record number of cars now marked for repossession, finding them is easier said than done. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- For Millions of Student-Loan Borrowers It’s Time to Pay

- The 20,000 Steps to a Walmart Manager’s Six-Figure Salary

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Americans could soon lose access to Italian-made pasta due to a 107% tariff plan on pasta imports. WSJ's Margherita Stancati unravels how a fight over paperwork spiraled into a full-blown pasta war. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

 

Further Listening:

- How One Business Owner Is Getting Ahead of Trump's Tariffs 

- The Bean at the Center of the Trade War

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WSJ’s Dan Gallagher takes us inside the little-known company playing a pivotal role in the AI spending boom. And Jessica Mendoza speaks to CoreWeave CEO Mike Intrator at WSJ Tech Live conference about whether the boom could be a bubble.

Further Listening:

- Is the AI Boom… a Bubble?

- The Unraveling of OpenAI and Microsoft's Bromance

- Artificial: The OpenAI Story

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Work in Los Angeles’s entertainment industry is evaporating. A desire to cut production costs, changing viewer habits, and competition from other filming locations are all contributing to a dramatic reduction in Hollywood jobs. WSJ’s Ben Fritz explains how the city’s creative middle class is bearing the burden. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- Ron Howard and Brian Grazer on Longevity in Hollywood

- The Case of the Hollywood Shutdown

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