This week, the Federal Reserve is gathering to make its latest interest rate decision. The central bank is widely expected to hold rates steady, but the FOMC September meeting will give us a lot of clues about the future of the economy and the direction of the stock market. Former Fed official Vincent Reinhart, now chief economist at Dreyfus and Mellon, talks about how a new approach from the central bank could affect our money. We’ve also got our eyes on FedEx. The shipping giant is expected to report earnings this week, and WSJ reporter Esther Fung is here to explain its recent struggles, how it is competing with UPS and what this means for shareholders. And we’re talking about ESG. It’s one of the most talked-about terms in investing, but what do those letters actually mean? Take a listen to get a better grip on the markets for the week of September 17.



Further Reading

An Important Shift in Fed Officials’ Rate Stance Is Under Way  

Pushing Inflation to Fed Target Will Run Into Tight Labor Market, Researcher Says 

FedEx Quarterly Sales Fall 10% as Shipping Struggles Continue 

Looking for an Alternative to ESG Investing? Here’s One Possibility

What the Fed’s September Meeting Means for Your Investments

WSJ’s Take On the Week brings you the insights and analysis you need to get a leg up on the business and financial week to come. In less than 20 minutes, we cut through the noise to explain the major business and financial news that may move markets, all so you can make smarter investing decisions and take on the week with confidence. Episodes drop Sundays. Hosted by Dion Rabouin.

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We’re going on hiatus. A message for our listeners from WSJ’s Take On the Week producer Jess Jupiter.



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A Message for Our Listeners

This week, we're expecting earnings reports from three of the biggest U.S. banks: JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo. Josh Brown and Michael Batnick from Ritholtz Wealth Management join us to discuss what these reports could tell us about the finances of consumers and businesses — how much we’re spending, how much we’re saving and whether we’ve been taking risks. Then, we're drilling into oil. A report from the International Energy Agency is expected Friday and will play a role in letting investors know whether the double digit increase we saw in oil prices in Q1 and the 30% increase we saw in gasoline prices will continue. We're speaking with WSJ reporter, David Uberti, about what rising gasoline prices tells us and why the report could move oil prices, stock prices and more. Plus, we're previewing the upcoming CPI report with WSJ reporter Anna Hirtenstein to find out why this week’s data could change the conversation about inflation.



How can we better help you take on the week? We’d like to hear from you. Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com.



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Further Reading

Why Gasoline Prices Are Rising Faster Than Usual This Year 

Inflation Victory Is Proving Elusive, Challenging Central Banks and Markets 



For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com.

Why Record Profits For Big Banks Could Be Good For Consumers

The latest earnings season is coming to a close and we are looking forward to the next quarter to learn where profits are headed. What have investors learned about U.S. companies and the economy and which sectors should they be paying close attention to? Gabriela Santos, managing director and chief market strategist for the Americas on the Global Market Insights Strategy Team at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, joins the conversation to share her big takeaways from the latest earnings season. Then, we're shifting gears to jobs as we prepare for the monthly employment report expected on Friday. LinkedIn's chief economist, Karin Kimbrough, shares what’s happening with jobs and the growing importance of AI for U.S. employers and job-seekers. Plus, we’re talking savings, or lack thereof. A new report from Santander Bank expected this Tuesday shows that most middle-income Americans are missing out on high interest rates from their savings account. We hear from Tim Wennes, president and CEO of Santander U.S. about why he believes people aren’t switching to high-interest savings accounts and what banks, like Santander, can do about it. How can we better help you take on the week? We’d like to hear from you. Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com.



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For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com .

Is the AI Boom Real? And Will We See It in This Week’s Jobs Report?

Affirm CEO Max Levchin is one of the original co-founders of PayPal, and now he leads one of the biggest players in the buy now, pay later business. Levchin wants to build a company that changes how shoppers pay for big-ticket items and the way people take on debt. But critics argue the company is a danger to consumers because it allows them to make some purchases with no interest payments, thereby encouraging excessive spending. For this bonus episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, Levchin talks about Affirm’s future and competing with the credit-card industry. How can we better help you take on the week? Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com. 



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Affirm CEO Max Levchin on Credit Cards vs. ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’

This week, we’re taking a look at corporate greed. A recent survey from Navigator Research found that most Americans think greed is a “major cause” of inflation. But is that true? Deepak Puri, chief investment officer of Deutsche Bank Private Bank in the Americas, joins us to dig into this week’s Corporate Profits report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis to get some answers. Then we’re turning to jobless claims. It’s been four years since the Covid-19 pandemic led to business shutdowns across the country and a subsequent record 3.28 million unemployment filings. Valerie Wilson, director of the Economic Policy Institute on Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy, gives us her take on the state of the labor market. Plus, WSJ media reporter Alexandra Bruell discusses Buzzfeed’s upcoming earnings report and how the company is faring since embracing AI last year.



How can we better help you take on the week? We’d like to hear from you. Send us an email to takeontheweek@wsj.com. 



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For more coverage of the markets and your investments, head to WSJ.com.

What the Fed’s September Meeting Means for Your Investments

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