Segment 1: Steven Esposito, President of Yellowstone Wealth Management in Lake Forest, joins John to talk about markets hitting fresh new highs after hot inflation data will likely trigger a Fed rate cut. Steven is encouraged by the broadening of the market and explains why he’s not worried about inflation or the labor market.

Segment 2: Jason Hiner, Editor in Chief, ZDNET, joins John to talk about what we need to know about Apple’s new products, and to give a workaround to help you upgrade to Windows 11 without having to get a new computer

Segment 3: Tim Paradis, Future of Work Correspondent, Business Insider, joins John to talk about why the ease of applying for jobs is making it harder for applicants to stand out.

Segment 4: Isaac Reichman, Director, Corporate Communications, Choose Chicago, joins John to talk about the launch of the “All for the Love of Chicago” social media campaign.

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about short term interest rates dropping, why it might be time to revise your budget, the recent revision of the labor report numbers, how much the Fed will cut rates later this month, and the big takeaway from today’s inflation data. Terry also answers all of your financial questions.

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about the weak labor report, how the labor market is being impacted by uncertainty, the difficulty finding a job right now, and some tips to help you get (and keep) that elusive job.

Segment 2: Dennis Rodkin, residential real estate reporter for Crain’s, joins John to talk about a Winnetka estate selling for $31.25 million, homebuyers jittery about the economy walking away from their contracts, and assessments of home values in Cook County becoming more fair under Fritz Kaegi.

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media, joins John Williams to talk about mortgage rates coming down, Friday’s weak labor report, the likelihood the Fed cuts rates in September and October, the nine metro areas with housing markets worth more than $1 trillion, and a new survey shows a retirement confidence gap.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about Northwestern Medicine partnering with Tempus AI, battery manufacturer Pure Lithium relocating to Chicago, and Kin raising $50 million to help homeowners adapt to increased risk of extreme weather.

Segment 3: Dave Oberg, Executive Director, Elmhurst History Museum, tells John everything you need to know about the 10th anniversary of the Elmhurst Craft Beer Fest.

Segment 1: Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor and recent President at WorkingNation, joins John Williams to break down the latest data on today’s ‘devastating’ labor report. Jane also explains why she still has great faith in the BLS. And do the weak labor numbers mean that the Fed will cut rates later this month.

Segment 2: : Tom Appel, Publisher, Consumer Guide Automotive and host of the Consumer Guide Car Stuff podcast, joins John Williams to talk about his experience buying a new car with his daughter, what he learned about the shopping experience, and to offer some tips on what to look for when shopping for a new car. Tom also updates us on the EV market, the cars that people are buying right now (including Cadillac EV), and to answer all of your automotive questions.

Segment 1: Jeff Wolfthal, Program development specialist, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, joins John to talk about he eighth annual celebration of the beloved monarch butterflies as they begin their migration. Purchase tickets here!

Segment 2: Jason Hiner, Editor in Chief, ZDNET, joins John to talk about Apple about to announce an iPhone Air that sets the stage for a foldable iPhone next year, Anthropic becoming the leading AI partner for businesses, and what to know about Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses.

Segment 3: Phillip Shaw, CFP, Senior Advisor, Goldstone Financial Group, joins John to talk about market volatility this week, the impact of AI on the stock market, the cooling labor market, when the Fed will start cutting rates, the independence of the Fed, where he expects the Dow to be at the end of the year.

Tom Fortino, Founder and Principal, Alpha Wealth Group and host of “The Alpha Wealth Hour” on WGN Radio, joins John Williams to talk about how September is typically a weak month for stocks, the strong market performance in August, what has been holding the market up, what we can expect from this Friday’s labor report, and if he thinks the Fed will cut rates later this month.

Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about the economic forecast for the remainder of 2025. Terry and John are joined by the always engaging Dr. Bob Froehlich, who makes his stock market (Dow) prediction for the rest of the year.

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about people discounting the value of relationships, and why authentic relationships are best built in-person rather than Zoom.

Segment 2: Philippe Weiss, President, Seyfarth at Work, joins John to talk about what executives need to know about effectively responding to a critical organizational crisis.

Segment 3: Tom Fortino, Founder and Principal, Alpha Wealth Group and host of “The Alpha Wealth Hour” on WGN Radio, joins John Williams to talk about how September is typically a weak month for stocks, the strong market performance in August, what has been holding the market up, what we can expect from this Friday’s labor report, and if he thinks the Fed will cut rates later this month.

Segment 4: Keenan Thanprathit, Marketing Manager, Mendocino Farms, joins John Williams to talk about the Chicago launch (and first Midwest location) of Mendocino Farms, a new fast-casual restaurant opening in River North. Keenan explains what’s on the menu and how they separate themselves from other fast-casual restaurants.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a merger. One of the companies will include shelf stable meals and include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands such as Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. The names of the two companies will be released later. Kraft Heinz said in May that it was conducting a strategic review in part to help maximize the value of its brands. Separating the two areas could help generate new cash flow and enhance the top-performing products. The companies will keep headquarters in Chicago and Pittsburgh.

Also, American brands are on the outs among global consumers because of their perceptions about the country. Listen for more below: