WSJ Your Money Briefing

Episode: What’s News in Markets: Meaty Issues, Tech Troubles, Media Shake-Ups

Date: November 15, 2025
Host: Francesca Fontana

Overview

This episode delivers a roundup of the week’s significant developments affecting the financial markets, focusing on food industry updates, turmoil in the tech sector, and major shifts in media and entertainment. Host Francesca Fontana walks through pivotal stock moves, the news driving them, and what personal investors and market-watchers need to know.

Key Discussion Points

1. Market Rally and Pullback

• Government Shutdown Resolution Sparked Optimism
  • The week opened strong with prospects of a government shutdown ending.
  • “...pushing the Dow above 48,000 by Wednesday’s close. But the optimism faded fast on Thursday with the Dow losing almost 800 points.” (01:01)
• Interest Rate Cut Speculation Cools
  • Traders reassessed bets on a Federal Reserve rate cut.
  • Probabilities for a December cut fell from 70% to 50% in one week.
  • “According to CME Group...the chances of a cut by the Federal Reserve next month were around 50%, and that’s down from 63% on Wednesday...” (01:17)
• Weekly Performance Recap
  • Dow up 0.3%, S&P 500 up 0.1%, Nasdaq down 0.5%.
  • “On a weekly basis, the Dow added 0.3%, the S&P 500 edged 0.1% higher and the Nasdaq lost about half a percent.” (01:33)

2. Food Sector: Tyson vs. Beyond Meat

• Tyson Foods: Beef Woes, Chicken Gains
  • US cattle shortage driven decline in beef sales; beef prices up 17%, sales volume down 8%.
  • Chicken sales offset losses—nuggets and wings saw higher demand.
  • “Tyson said its beef prices rose 17% while sales volumes fell 8%, all amid the lowest US cattle supply since the 1950s.” (01:48)
  • Tyson shares rose 2.3% Monday, 2.5% for the week.
• Beyond Meat: Declining Demand
  • Plant-based protein sales slumped, with US revenue down 21% and international sales dropping 1%.
  • Quarterly losses widened as consumer interest waned; shares fell 9% Tuesday, 22% for the week.
  • Francesca’s wry comment: “Now vegetarians and vegans, don’t worry, I’ve got news for you, too.” (02:23)
  • “Beyond posted a wider quarterly loss and declining sales as demand from U.S. customers and restaurants fell for its products.” (02:32)

3. Tech Tumbles Amid Market Downturn

• Heavy Declines Among Leading Tech Stocks
  • Nvidia: -3.6%
  • Oracle: -4.1%
  • Tesla: -6.6%
• Persistent Concerns Over Valuations and AI Arms Race
  • Losses in tech no longer balanced by gains in other sectors; contributed to Thursday’s steep decline.
  • “...the sector hasn’t been under pressure, what with the concerns about sky high valuations of tech’s biggest names and about the big AI arms race.” (03:00)

4. Media Shake-Ups: Disney & Paramount

• Disney: Underwhelming Quarter
  • Lower-than-expected revenue dragged stock down 7.7%.
  • “Disney’s stock ended up sliding 7.7%. This week was a tale of two media giants...” (03:27)
• Paramount-Skydance: Streaming Growth and M&A Action
  • Paramount rallied 9.8% on streaming growth.
  • Bidders (Paramount, Comcast, Netflix) circling Warner Bros. Discovery, with a Nov 20 bid deadline.
  • Warner plans to split into two companies, reversing parts of the 2022 merger.
  • “Paramount...rallied 9.8% Tuesday after Paramount reported streaming growth in its first quarterly report.” (03:36)
  • “Paramount, Comcast and Netflix are preparing bids for Warner Bros. Discovery ahead of a Nov. 20 deadline...” (03:52)
  • Paramount shares ended with a 3.8% weekly gain.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the sudden drop:
  “All told, on Thursday, US stocks posted their worst day in a month, woof.”
  — Francesca Fontana, (01:28)

• Stock market humor:
  “Apologies in advance if you’re listening while hungry because we are looking at two food stocks.”
  — Francesca Fontana, (01:39)

• On Beyond Meat's struggles:
  “The American appetite for its meat alternatives is dwindling.”
  — Francesca Fontana, (02:26)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Market rally and rate cut speculation: 00:43 – 01:34
• Food sector updates (Tyson & Beyond Meat): 01:35 – 02:41
• Tech stock declines & analysis: 02:42 – 03:17
• Media & entertainment shakeups: 03:18 – 04:23

Closing

Francesca Fontana wraps up with a plug for more coverage of stock movers in her WSJ column “The Score,” encouraging listeners to check out the Exchange section for further details.

For anyone wanting a concise recap of the week’s most important financial moves, sector-specific shifts, and the context that’s moving markets, this episode provides timely insights—all in the signature brisk, punchy WSJ style.