Reading the WSJ won't make me better at my job. However, there is a chance that I'll stumble on something that is relevant to a deal I'm working on. On the other hand, it helps to keep you educated on current events. While reading it for a day will not make a difference, reading it for a year will definitely show in any candidate. Besides, you're a lot more interesting to talk to and current events is a very valid "business conversation topic." I'd say it is a very worthwhile use of your time if you have the time to spare.

CompBanker’s Career Guidance Services: https://www.rossettiadvisors.com/
 

i swear to god, you people are so damn lazy.

what's wrong, don't fully understand the wall street journal? learn finance, kids!

Read economist if you're that disinterested in a field that you want to pursue.........good luck......

 

I read very few newspapers --- mostly just trade journals (e.g. quarterly publications).

If I were to read something, I would probably page through Barrons.

Weekly information is more than enough IMHO.

 

You can read select articles in your downtown. If you don't have downtown, get into work 30 mins early so you can at least read the highlights. I tend to spend another 10 minutes on it in the morning and another 10 in the afternoon/evening. You don't have to read every article in full -- I would only a very few actually do.

 

Subscribe to the BreakingViews email alerts. You'll get brief snapshots of the biggest rumors, trends and commentary (about two hours before they break in the news). They also provide a "context" section that gives a background on the situation and the key players (very good if you don't have time to follow Everything).

 
justanotherbanker:
Subscribe to the BreakingViews email alerts. You'll get brief snapshots of the biggest rumors, trends and commentary (about two hours before they break in the news). They also provide a "context" section that gives a background on the situation and the key players (very good if you don't have time to follow Everything).

Hi, I went on the site but couldn't subscribe to email alerts. where is that? I only see subscribe but I have to call this number. Thanks.

 

i have a subscription to the economist and i haven't opened last weeks copy. i find i have better things to do in my free time than sitting down reading! aarggh. and i could read it cover to cover before i started work.

banking makes you dumb.

 

I read the WSJ religiously when I was recruiting and prepping but since then, I cringe and die a little bit inside when I see it on my driveway every morning. I should just call and put a hold on my subscription. I'm sure I could better pass it on to someone recruiting next year...

Dealbook and Mergers & Inquisitions on the other hand...

 

There is a difference between the print and online versions, and yes, increased frequency of typos or similar errors are characteristic of the online version.

I've noticed a number of typos in the online version as well (and this has been the case for several years). Plenty of people will tell you that WSJ is going downhill, but mistakes in the online version are a product of articles being updated and edited hourly (or even more frequently) throughout the course of a day. The frequent updates aren't necessarily a bad thing (since you do get refined information not in the print edition), but it does make the site read more like a blog at times.

 

read their DealJournal. Other than that, I read articles that are recommended to me by those whom I trust.

I prefer DealBook, DealBreaker, Thedeal.com and other sources. The NYT now has a pretty good business section that I have become fond of.

 

It probably won't be needed. I know pretty much nothing about the marketplace/news, and I was never asked about it in any of my ib interviews for summer analyst & full time. If you're interviewing for something like Allen & Company, Raine Group, etc that focus on specific industries, then I would definitely read up on those industries, but if not, it's likely unnecessary. They might ask a general question at a BB where you'll most likely get placed later like what groups are you interested in, but nothing in depth

 

I always go through the main news happenings+ couple of sections I have interest in detail...rest ijust skim through making sure I dont spend more than 30-40 mts top in readin!...not worth the extra couple o hours to crouch over and memorize each line in each page...i hv seen dickheads do that here at school and its just sad!!

"A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it." ~George Moore
 

Minimum: Front Page + Business Section.

Always best to read everything on the front page - if it's on the front page it's probably important enough that everyone else knows about, so should you.

 

you are not analyzing enough. What major are you? I am an econ major and one of the greatest advantages is that when I read the WSJ, I can make guesses as to what will happen just by reading a headline - ex. Interests fall - I know what should follow from there. Then i read the article and confirm my guesses. After you do that for about a month you should be able to make pretty good predictions about the economy etc. and make a logical conversation out of it.

In the end, there is a great deal of uncertainty in the economy. BS and GS economists expect interest rates to rise, while DB, ML, and MS economists expect them to fall by the end of the year.

 

I don't think you should over analyse. first of all, focus on the sectors that your interested in e.g tech then you can gradually get into other sectors then get a grasp on the whole thing. it was overwhelming reading the whole thing when i started a couple years back but i just grew into it. this is from personal experience so it varies.

 

It should take one week at the most to get the idea for a particular geography. Last week (for US), it was about subprime markets doing poorly, an improved NAPM Index that shows that the economy is picking up, lower unemployment numbers, and concerns about inflation. Some say the FED might reduce rates (right now at 5.25%).

You should pick a couple sectors that you're interested in and you're good to go.

 

Give it another month or two, though you shouldn't expect to "understand everything" at any point, now or in the future, because nobody does; economists are infamously poor prognosticators.

With that said, if you read at least a little bit of the WSJ every day, you will start to "get it" within another month or two. The people you talked to are right; there are "storylines" with each company, goverment, economic principle, etc. Eventually you will get to know most of them, because they pop up at the least once every couple of months. Once you know most of the "storylines", you will recognize that a lot of the articles you're reading are essentially updates on those storylines.

 

It is different for everyone obviously. It definately helps when it comes up in classes, conversation, etc. and it helps you relate. Keep at it and it will come to you.

 

Are we supposed to wake up every morning pretending to know the daily stories being ran in these subscriber-paid for sources and their article titles? Not all of the news in the FT/WSJ/etc online is free. Most newspapers/magazines with rich content and good journalism require a subscription.

 
DickFuld:

How poor are you people that you can't afford a WSJ subscription? Taking the '2 seconds' extra per article seems like you don't value your time very much if you read the WSJ everyday. I think a year long subscription is about $100.

Not everybody ran an investment bank, sorry bro.
heister: Look at all these wannabe richies hating on an expensive salad. https://arthuxtable.com/
 

you are absolutely getting ripped off you are a student, get a year long subscription with a student id it's like 150 or something

The answer to your question is 1) network 2) get involved 3) beef up your resume 4) repeat -happypantsmcgee WSO is not your personal search function.
 

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heister: Look at all these wannabe richies hating on an expensive salad. https://arthuxtable.com/

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