The AI boom is getting all the attention. We're about to find out how the rest of the economy is holding up.

By Mark DeCambre

Earnings season shifts into higher gear, with fresh clues about consumer spending and the health of corporate America beyond the tech sector

Here's what I'm watching this morning: There's so much breathless coverage of AI that sometimes it's easy to forget there's a whole economy out there running on cars, airplanes and the occasional streaming binge.

As earnings season gets underway, we'll get a better sense of how that economy is holding up, and what companies are seeing from customers.

Of course, Wall Street isn't about to stop talking about AI. And neither are we.

I write Need to Know each morning to cut through the noise and focus on the market moves, investing ideas and economic developments affecting your money. Sign up here to get it.

Three stories worth your time ...

-- SpaceX earnings will be all about AI - for better or for worse

-- One of this year's most important relationships in global financial markets is falling apart

-- The riskiest bonds on Wall Street are sending a warning to investors

On markets: Wall Street is bracing for the Treasury's next borrowing announcement, with investors uncertain about how much government debt is coming next month. As MarketWatch's Joy Wiltermuth reports, the stakes are growing as private companies are borrowing heavily to finance the AI build-out. Combined with stubborn inflation, that could mean added pressure on borrowing costs.

On trading: A feared "Black Monday" never arrived. Tech stocks managed a pretty decent advance, although the company at the eye of the storm, CoreWeave, couldn't hold an early gain. We'll keep watching that stock closely.

-- Check out our live markets coverage.

An Intel skeptic has second thoughts ...

After nearly four years of betting against Intel (INTC), a J.P. Morgan analyst has changed his tune. He's no longer bearish on the chip manufacturer, but he's not quite ready to recommend buying it, either. Here's what's giving him pause, writes MarketWatch's Hannah Pedone.

Time to rethink setting your retirement on autopilot ...

Target-date funds are a mainstay of 401(k) plans and the default investment option for many workers. They may take the guesswork out of investing and saving for retirement. But what happens when you actually retire? It may be time to reconsider this set-it-and-forget-it tactical approach. Here's why, explains MarketWatch's Jessica Hall.

-- Blood clots are 'incredibly common,' even for pro athletes like Jalen Hurts. Here's what to know.

The other side of the American dream ...

Quentin Fottrell, aka the Moneyist.

A 64-year-old woman has made peace with the prospect of renting for the rest of her life. The Moneyist considers why owning a home isn't the only measure of financial success or a live well-lived.

It can always get worse ...

As bad as it is for the housing market - with starts and transactions basically flat for the last three years and mortgage rates over 7% - it can get still get worse. That's the forecast from Goldman Sachs. The investment bank foresees existing-home sales next year that are 26% below 2019's levels.

Rise of the robots ...

Humanoid robots are getting surprisingly good at everyday tasks. But building one is on thing; producing thousands affordably and reliably is quite another. Our video explores what's standing in the way of large-scale humanoid-robot manufacturing in the U.S.

Also worth watching: What happens when MarketWatch's Christine Ji puts a $55,000 humanoid robot to work cleaning her home.

Computer-science boom peters out ...

The University of Michigan expanded its computer-science program, and then the job market shifted.

The computer-science degree was supposed to be a golden ticket. Colleges raced to expand their programs as students flocked to a field that promised lucrative careers in tech. The boom has swiftly lost momentum. MarketWatch's Hannah Pedone explains what changed and what it means for students who bet their futures on a career in tech.

About me

Mark DeCambre is editor in chief of MarketWatch. He has spent more than 20 years covering Wall Street, markets and personal finance, and writes Need to Know, drawing on the award-winning analysis and journalism of the newsroom.

-Mark DeCambre

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10-20-26 0730ET