Will DuPont Talks Spur Agricultural Industry Merger?
The potential merger of DuPont and Dow Chemical could spur agricultural rivals to forge their own partnerships, further shrinking the handful of companies that dominate the global seed and pesticide business.
Majority Opposes Trump Plan to Ban Muslims, Poll Finds
Donald Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. is opposed by a solid majority of Americans, but there is more support for the idea within the Republican Party, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds. 494
Junk Fund’s Demise Fuels Concern Over Bond Rout
Third Avenue Focused Credit Fund is barring investor withdrawals while it liquidates its high-yield bond fund, an unusual move that highlights the severity of the monthslong junk-bond plunge.
FBI Searches San Bernardino Lake in Shooting Probe
Search for missing computer hard drive comes as Members of Congress briefed on the shootings say neighbors saw signs the suspects had been radicalized but failed to notify authorities.
Fall in Oil and Gas Prices Isn’t Spurring Consumer or Business Spending
When the tumble in oil and gasoline prices began in mid-2014, experts widely expected it would jolt spending by U.S. consumers and businesses. It hasn’t turned out that way. 99
Junkyard Dog: How Oil-Fueled Debt Caught Up With Chesapeake Energy
In the prolonged slump in commodity prices that is rattling the market for junk-rated energy debt, few firms have been hit harder than Chesapeake Energy.
Middle East Crossroads
ISIS Tries to Sow Strife in West
Islamic State’s objective is clear: to bait Western societies into an indiscriminate backlash against Muslims living in Europe and the U.S., writes Yaroslav Trofimov. 768
UPS Struggles to Keep Up With Surge in Web Orders
UPS is straining to handle a surge in online sales that has resulted in more holiday volume than it had expected, causing a wave of disruptions that could spell trouble for the holiday season.
GM Ignition-Switch Fund Offers $595 Million to Victims
A third of the $595 million General Motors is paying from a fund to victims of a defective ignition switch will go to those who under a legal shield granted during the auto maker’s bankruptcy otherwise might have received nothing.
VW Blames ‘Chain of Mistakes’ for Scandal
Volkswagen’s emissions-cheating scandal stemmed from a “chain of mistakes” that began with the company’s diesel push into the U.S. in 2005 and was never corrected, Chairman Hans Dieter Pötsch said. 73
Wal-Mart Marketing Chief to Step Down
Wal-Mart’s longtime chief marketing officer is leaving, and the retailer is reaching outside the company for some help by bringing on a former marketing guru at Target.
China Adds to Its Piles of Gold
With the precious metal at multiyear lows, China and several other countries including Russia have been steadily scooping it up, adding to their reserves.
Treasury Auction Investor Lawsuits Consolidated Before New York Judge
Investor lawsuits accusing major banks of manipulating Treasury debt auctions have been consolidated before a federal judge in New York, with the legal battle carrying major stakes for one of the world’s largest financial markets.
Asian Shares Higher
Asian stocks rallied in early trading Friday after U.S. stocks snapped a three-day losing streak, though most regional benchmarks remain on track to end the week in the red.
Fed Approves Bank of America’s Resubmitted Stress Test
The Federal Reserve has approved Bank of America’s resubmitted stress test, giving the bank the green light to continue paying its quarterly dividend and buy back shares.
The 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death is a bonanza for publishers and theater producers. WSJ's Jennifer Maloney reports. Photo: Johan Persson/Royal Opera House
Books
The Coming Shakespeare Extravaganza
The 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death next year will spark an explosion of plays, books, tours and goofy spinoffs.
Film
‘45 Years’: Marriage Under the Ice
Charlotte Rampling, who stars with Tom Courtenay, and writer-director Andrew Haigh discuss “45 Years,” about a long-married couple facing a disturbing revelation.
Art
On View at the Whitney: Stella’s Art (and Frank Stella, Too)
At New York’s Whitney Museum, one of the most frequent visitors to the big Frank Stella exhibition has been Frank Stella.
Compromises Make Global Climate Deal More Possible
Nations moved closer to a global climate deal that has eluded them for more than 20 years, as compromise emerged on some of the most controversial issues facing negotiators at a summit in Paris, even as other problems remain unresolved.
Saudi Women to Vote for First Time
Saudi women can’t marry, enroll at university or travel abroad without permission from a male relative. But on Saturday, they will vote and run in a nationwide election for the first time.
Argentina Inaugurates President Mauricio Macri
New leader vows to end an era of combative politics and bring Argentines together, but his predecessor Cristina Kirchner and many in her party shun the ceremony.
Risks from In-Flight Pilot Error Persist
Pilots responding improperly to midair-collision alarms pose one of the top safety risks for airline passengers across Europe, according to studies by Eurocontrol.
Video
Golden Globe Nominations: 'Carol' Stands Out
1:25
America’s Middle Class Is No Longer the Majority
4:32
Obama Signs Education Bill Replacing No Child Left Behind
1:07Economy
Fed Report Shows U.S. Household Net Worth Declined
Americans lost nearly $1.2 trillion in wealth in the third quarter, with a shaky stock market contributing to the losses, according to a Federal Reserve report released Thursday.
Business
PepsiCo Ends U.S. Yogurt Joint-Venture With Müller
PepsiCo said it has ended its U.S. yogurt joint-venture with Germany’s Theo Müller Group because of weak sales.
Photos
The Off Duty 50
Global Holiday Gift Guide
When it comes to holiday giving, an unpredictably exotic present that came across an ocean has a bona fide wow factor. We’ve searched the globe for 50 great ways to make a foreign exchange.
New 'Serial' Podcast Focuses on Bergdahl Case
The second season of the megahit podcast "Serial" will cover the story of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl,