Up in the Air: Media Mergers, Fed Policies, & Apple Watches 12/21/23

Markets are confused, at least according to some economists. The markets snapped 7 straight weeks of gains this week, as Wall Street interpreted the Federal Reserve’s pivot from hiking rates to cutting them. Chief economics correspondent at The Wall Street Journal Nick Timiraos penned a splashy op-ed pointing to confusion among investors and Fed governors. Elon Musk biographer and Tulane professor Walter Isaacson discusses the billionaire’s tendency to polarize his advertisers and consumers. Plus, Puck’s Matt Belloni discusses Warner Bros. Discovery’s early talks with Paramount Global for a potential merger, and Apple lost a bid to delay an import ban on certain Apple watches, but it’s reportedly gearing up to release its new mixed reality headset. Matt Belloni - 6:48 Nick Timiraos - 16:30 Walter Isaacson - 29:03 In this episode: Nick Timiraos, @NickTimiraos Walter Isaacson, @WalterIsaacson Matthew Belloni,@mattbelloni Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie