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Merger talks between Honda and Nissan. We've got the latest. Plus, Canada tries to dodge

looming U.S. tariffs by pledging a border crackdown, and AI demand helps solidify Wall Street's

bet on utility stocks. It's pretty remarkable that investors that we think of as betting on the next generation

technology are looking at owners and operators of nuclear power plants and gas plants and stuff

that's been around since the late 1800s. It's Wednesday, December 18th. I'm Luke Vargas for the Wall

Street Journal and here is the AM edition of What's News, the top headlines and business stories moving your world today.

We begin with major news out of the auto industry, as Honda and Nissan say they're exploring

a merger that would combine the two Japanese firms into what could be the world's third largest carmaker by sales.

Both companies said no final decision had been made, but markets are already moving in response to the possibility of a deal.

And here with more is Wall Street Journal, Asia Business editor Peter Landers.

Peter, this isn't official yet, we should be very clear.

But when both Honda and

Nissan are confirming that they are, in fact, in talks, I think it's fair to assume there's a reason

this tie-up might be attractive to both of them. Walk us through that potential rationale,

if you could. The motivation is probably stronger on Nissan's side because the company has

been in real trouble. The stock price

has been way down this year, and they've never really recovered from the arrest of Carlos Gohn

in 2018, and we all recall how Gone escaped Japan on a private jet, but that was part of broader

turmoil at Nissan over their relationship with Renault, and Renault had been

controlling shareholder at Nissan for many years. But finally, Nissan won its independence from Renault last

year, and no sooner had that happened than they ran into big troubles in China and also in the U.S.

...