The Wall Street Skinny

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In this episode we delve into the intricate world of finance depicted in the Season 3 premiere, "Il Mattino Ha L’Oro in Bocca" breaking down the complexities behind the IPO process, how pricing works and setting "price talk", the IPO discount and more. We also touch on some key corporate finance concepts including leverage ratios, net debt, and finally touch on the power and electricity markets, sp...

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In this episode, we sit down with Sonia Gupta, Partner and Co-Head of Biotech Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs. Sonia walks us through her unique journey—from studying public health at Brown, to working in healthcare consulting, to getting her MBA at MIT, and ultimately climbing the ranks at Goldman to become a senior leader advising some of the most innovative biotech companies in the world. We dive deep into what...

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In this episode, we break down the finance behind the Industry Season 2 finale—and without exaggerating, this might be our favorite episode yet. There was so much to dig into, starting with the trade that the whole season built toward: Jesse Bloom’s long Rican / short FastAid position.

Because the episode references the legendary trade where “Soros broke the Bank of England” in 1992, we also break down that wild real-l...

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In this episode, we sit down with Olga Gorodetsky, a Director in Capital Markets at Fannie Mae, for an in-depth conversation about the role of Government-Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) in the U.S. housing finance system. Olga walks us through the history and mission of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, explaining how these institutions provide liquidity and stability to the mortgage market. We explore how mortgage-backed secu...

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Wondering if you need the CFA to break into banking? Curious what the SIE is, or whether a CPA helps you land a role in private equity? You're not alone—exam questions are by far the most common DMs we get. So in this episode, we finally break it all down.

We’re joined by Joyce Schnur, Senior VP at Kaplan, who walks us through the differences between licensing (SIE, Series 7, 63, 79) and credentials (CFA, CPA, CFP...

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We’re back and breaking down Season 2, Episode 7 of Industry: “Lone Wolf and Cub.” This one is dense with real finance concepts—starting with Harper, Eric, and Rishi's attempt to “hit a bid away” and pitch themselves as a ready-made desk to rival firms. We get into how traders actually get paid, why comp guarantees are risky, and what it means to bring “client color” as your leverage in a job switch. Plus: why Ri...

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In this episode of The Wall Street Skinny, we sit down with Scott Bok, Chairman and former CEO of Greenhill & Co. and author of Surviving Wall Street: A Tale of Triumph, Tragedy and Timing. Scott shares stories from his remarkable career journey—from big law at Wachtell Lipton to investment banking at Morgan Stanley, to ultimately leading one of the most respected elite boutiques on Wall Street. We talk through th...

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We’re thrilled to welcome Congressman Seth Magaziner — a longtime friend from our high school and college days — for a conversation about the intersection of finance, policy, and politics. We break down the proposed tax bill currently moving through Congress, the state of U.S. debt and deficits, and insider trading laws for elected officials, and Seth’s background in finance and public service working as the youngest ...

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In this episode of The Wall Street Skinny, Kristen and Jen kick announce the launch of their long-awaited M&A course, part of their dynamic, story-driven finance curriculum. They discuss how the course, two years in the making, blends real-world technicals with the drama of HBO’s Succession, making complex M&A concepts like accretion/dilution, deferred taxes, and tax structuring both engaging and accessible. T...

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This week we start off talking about what's happening in the markets: the latest GDP print—and why the headline number being down isn’t quite as simple as it sounds. We unpack the mechanics behind the contraction, including how tariff-fueled inventory surges and net import dynamics played a role. We also dive into real-time supply chain stress, from container ships skipping ports to what that means for everything...

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In this episode of The Wall Street Skinny, we explore the escalating tension between former President Trump and Fed Chair Jerome Powell, how markets reacted, and what it reveals about the importance of central bank independence. Jen also breaks down "Operation Twist"—a lesser-known but powerful Fed tool—and explains how it differs from traditional rate cuts or quantitative easing.

Next, we turn to t...

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This week, we break down the tension between Jerome Powell and Donald Trump—and what it actually means for monetary policy. If you listened to Powell’s latest remarks at the Economic Club of Chicago, you may not have thought much of it, but anyone knows how to decode the Fed’s deliberately vague words noticed unmistakably hawkish tone. We explain how to read between the lines of Fed speak, what it really means when th...

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There has been some speculation that the reason for "chaos in the bond markets" isn't loss of confidence in the US but rather the result of an unwind in "the basis trade" leading hedge funds to blow up and causing yield spreads to widen. To explore this theory we need to get super granular. 

We go deep into the relationship between cash bonds, futures, and interest rate swaps—and explain why so...

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This week on The Wall Street Skinny, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most volatile weeks in recent memory—and we brought backup. After a whiplash-inducing reversal in the bond and equity markets, Jen and Kristen break down how the tariff announcements are rippling through rates, treasury auctions, and investor sentiment. From the Fed’s shrinking balance sheet to the rising fear that the U.S. may be losing its “...

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This week on The Wall Street Skinny, we dive headfirst into the chaos that’s been roiling the markets—and specifically why what's happening in the bond market has investors spooked. Treasury auctions, bond yields, the dollar, and gold are all flashing red, and we break down exactly why. Kristen turns the mic to Jen, who spent nearly a decade on the interest rates desk at Morgan Stanley, Lehman, and Barclays, for ...

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Markets are in chaos, which is why on this week’s episode Kristen and Jen ditch the interviews to break down what the hell is happening in markets right now. From tariffs to the dollar and everything in between, we’re unpacking the massive moves in equities, the near-trigger of the circuit breaker, and what April 2nd — aka "Liberation Day" — really means.

We dive deep into the economic mechanics beh...

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It's our special 150th episode!! We’re reuniting with billionaire investor and CEO David Adelman (whom you may remember from our “Sports Investing 101” episode) for a deep dive into his multifaceted empire and brilliant business acumen. 

David’s story is the stuff of legend. After making his first real estate investment with his bar mitzvah money at the age of 13, David ultimately rose to become CEO of Campus Apar...

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Join hosts Jen and Kristen on The Wall Street Skinny for an insightful exploration of wealth management, as they sit down with Susan Moffatt, co-founder of Curated Wealth Partners, who expertly unpacks the intriguing differences between independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) and prestigious wirehouses like JP Morgan and UBS.

Susan provides an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the multifamily office model a...