WSJ Your Money Briefing

Episode: What’s News in Markets: Airport Chaos, E.l.f. Disappoints, Palantir Falls
Date: November 8, 2025
Host: Francesca Fontana

Overview

This episode provides a concise roundup of the week’s most significant stock market stories and their drivers. Francesca Fontana covers headline-grabbing moves in the airline industry amid new FAA restrictions, E.l.f. Beauty’s steep stock drop after disappointing guidance, and Palantir’s sharp post-earnings decline despite strong results. The focus is on how major news events and company-specific challenges moved the market and affected investor sentiment.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Market Recap and Major Index Performance (00:40)

• All three major U.S. indexes posted losses for the first week of November:
  • Dow: -1.2%
  • S&P 500: -1.6%
  • Nasdaq: -3%

2. Airline Industry Turmoil: FAA Traffic Cuts (01:33)

• The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a 10% reduction in traffic at 40 major airports to alleviate a shortage of unpaid air traffic controllers.
• Implementation timeline:
  • 4% cuts began Friday
  • Ramps up to 6% by Nov 11, 8% by Nov 13, and 10% by Nov 14
• Impact on Flights:
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned flight cancellations could rise to 15-20% nationwide if the shutdown continues.
  • Airline shares fell Thursday; American Airlines lost 2% that day, but ended the week up 4%.
• Useful resource: Listeners are pointed to WSJ.com for a mapped breakdown of affected airports.

Quote:
"Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Friday that if the shutdown continues, flight cancellations across the US could rise to 15 or even 20%."
— Francesca Fontana (02:36)

3. E.l.f. Beauty’s Plunge: Investors React to Guidance (03:13)

• Positive earnings: 14% increase in quarterly sales, strong market share gains, and a boost from acquiring Rhode (Hailey Bieber’s skincare line).
• The Issue:
  • E.l.f.’s annual forecast for adjusted EPS and sales missed analysts’ expectations.
  • CEO explanation: High expectations built up due to lack of prior guidance.
• Market Reaction:
  • Stock dropped 35% on Thursday, down ~40% for the week.

Quote:
"Elf’s CEO addressed this by saying that expectations were dialed up a bit too high in the absence of the company providing guidance in recent quarters."
— Francesca Fontana (03:43)

4. Palantir’s Paradox: Strong Earnings, Stock Falls (04:04)

• Beat earnings expectations and set another quarterly sales record, driven by demand for AI technology.
• Investor Mood:
  • Despite performance, shares fell 8% Tuesday and ended the week down 11%.
  • Analysts attributed this to sky-high valuation fears, not operational disappointments.
  • Palantir’s stock had already more than doubled in 2025; many now view it as richly priced.

Quote:
"Palantir is one of the most richly valued stocks on the market, having more than doubled so far in 2025, and many analysts are balking at its valuation."
— Francesca Fontana (04:31)

5. Other Noteworthy Market News (00:30, 00:50)

• Big AI deals continue and traders remain uneasy about AI’s rapid ascent.
• Supreme Court skepticism over Trump’s authority on tariffs gave trade-sensitive stocks like General Motors a boost.
• Elon Musk’s new $1 trillion pay package received approval.

Memorable Moment:
"Elon Musk danced with some robots because his new one trillion dollar pay package got approved."
— Francesca Fontana (00:56)

Notable Quotes and Timestamps

• “We got more big AI deals and more AI jitters from traders over the technology's rapid rise.”
  — Francesca Fontana (00:32)
• “Airline stocks took a tumble on Thursday after the Federal Aviation administration ordered a 10% cut in traffic at 40 major airports to relieve unpaid air traffic controllers.”
  — Francesca Fontana (01:38)
• “ELF's annual forecast for adjusted earnings per share and sales came in under analysts expectations.”
  — Francesca Fontana (03:32)
• “On Monday, Palantir beat earnings expectations and notched another quarter of record sales as new customers flocked to buy AI Technology. But investors appeared unimpressed and its shares fell 8% on Tuesday.”
  — Francesca Fontana (04:08)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [00:40] — Weekly major index review
• [01:33] — FAA airport traffic cuts and market impact
• [03:13] — E.l.f. Beauty earnings and stock drop
• [04:04] — Palantir earnings, valuation, and stock reaction
• [04:50] — Where to follow up for more stock news (Score Buy column)

Closing

Host Francesca Fontana signs off by encouraging listeners to visit the WSJ’s “Score Buy” column for additional stock coverage and reminds them she’ll return next Saturday.

This concise, fast-paced episode offers actionable insights and context on the week’s biggest market stories, highlighting the interplay of regulatory, earnings, and valuation factors driving notable stock moves.