Squawk Box Europe Express

Doom and gloom in Davos overnight after billionaire investor George Soros issues dour economic warnings about China’s zero-Covid policy and the potential for a civilisation-ending Third World War. We hear from EC President Ursula Von Der Leyen who says the bloc is ready to green-light a Russian oil embargo “within days”. She also urged every nation to help Ukraine with its reconstruction efforts,...

We hear from Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez who says the war in Ukraine is hampering the EU recovery but remains optimistic over the bloc’s unity and strong fundamentals. Speaking at a CNBC panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva warns of increasing economic challenges while Citi boss Jane Fraser believes a recession is inevitable. We also hear...

The IMF’s managing director Kristalina Georgieva warns of a “confluence of calamities” facing the global economy. Wall Street is on the brink of bear market territory with the Nasdaq suffering its longest losing streak since the dotcom bubble. U.S. President Joe Biden signs off on a $40bn aid package for Ukraine as Russia turns off gas supplies to Finland. Belgium becomes the first nation to...

The Dow is on track for its eighth consecutive week in the red – something not seen for 90 years – while the S&P 500 is close to bear market territory. The PBOC is to cut borrowing costs to help the Chinese housing market as Beijing wrestles with the fallout of its zero-Covid policy. The U.S. Senate approves $40bn in aid for Ukraine while G7 finance ministers meeting in Bonn, Germany, commit t...

Wall Street suffers its worst day since June 2020. U.S. markets broadly sell off amid inflation and growth fears, sparked by a major earnings miss from retailer Target. Asian markets follow suit with tech stocks slumping in Hong Kong while miners and energy companies plunging on the ASX. We hear from U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen who says that energy sanctions are key to hampering Russian a...

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell insists that the central bank will continue to raise rates as long as is needed in order to rein in inflation. However, Powell did acknowledge the potential consumer pain involved in the process. Investors pump the Nasdaq by almost 3 per cent after swooping in for recently hurting tech stocks, seemingly unconcerned by a looming recession. In retail, Wal-...

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and President Joe Biden are at loggerheads over inflation. Bezos has attacked Biden for “misdirection” over claims that billionaire tax avoidance is fueling record price pressures. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke tells CNBC exclusively that the U.S. is likely to dodge a severe recession, but that it was a “mistake” that the central bank delayed acting on soar...

Sweden and Finland make the historic decision to join NATO. We are live in Stockholm where the Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson tells CNBC the country is braced for any retaliation from Russia. The G7 warns of a potential global food crisis, accusing Russia of waging a ‘grain war’, while India bans all wheat exports. EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis says protectionism will only a...

U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell admits that the central bank could have moved faster in raising interest rates and that he was unable to guarantee a ‘soft landing’ as April producer prices soared by 11 per cent. Wall Street caps another volatile session with U.S. stocks suffering their worst weekly performance since January. In crypto news, the collapse of stablecoins Terra and Tether...

U.S. inflation slows for the first time in nine months, however the headline and core prints still come in above expectation. The Nasdaq suffers steep losses with Apple weighing. The tech giant loses its crown as the world’s most valuable company to oil behemoth Saudi Aramco. Strong Disney+ subscriptions fail to help Disney shares in extended trade after its CFO Christine McCarthy warns of softer...

Chinese consumer prices are up at their fastest rate in five months as rolling Covid lockdowns continue to impact production and supply. U.S. President Joe Biden has prioritised inflation as his top economic challenge as key data out today hints that price pressures Stateside could be finally peaking. The S&P 500 index and the Nasdaq are up but the Dow posts a fourth-straight negative session....

The S&P 500 sinks below the 4,000-point level – its lowest in more than a year - as the tech sell-off accelerates. The past three sessions have seen more than $1tn in mega-cap losses. Oil is down on demand concerns while the 10-year Treasury bill reaches its highest level since late 2018. In forex news the dollar is at a near-two decade high while cryptocurrencies are down, with Bitcoin leadin...

The U.S. slaps a raft of fresh sanctions on Russia, targeting the country’s financial sector. We hear from former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen who says the West has underestimated Russian President Vladimir Putin on several levels. U.S. and European futures are in the red following last week’s turmoil with fresh inflation data and Fed speak coming this week. In China, export growth...

U.S. markets see enormous and abrupt moves following post-Fed gains with the Dow losing more than 1,000 points in its worst session since 2020. The 10-year Treasury bill surges to more than 3 per cent. The dollar strengthens to two-decade highs against various currencies ahead of an expected solid April jobs report. In Asia, tech stocks sell off sharply following last night’s Nasdaq slump – i...

The Fed follows through on its promise to hike rates by 50 basis points – its biggest move in 22 years. Wall Street is buoyed by Chairman Jerome Powell’s comments to CNBC, playing down talk that the FOMC could move to 75bps. The BoE is expected to make its fourth straight hike of 25bps as UK inflation hovers at a 30-year high. In China, services are hard-hit by Beijing’s continued rolling Covid lo...

Ride-hailing app Lyft suffers a bumpy ride with a quarter of the company’s value wiped off in extended trade. The Federal Reserve is expected to hike rates by 50bps amid surging inflation and a tight labour market. Billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones says the central bank’s governors are in “uncharted waters”. Natural gas is up ahead of an expected sixth round of sanctions by the EU on Moscow. T...

The U.S. ten-year Treasury yield surpasses 3 per cent for the first time in fours years while stocks rally after the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit fresh lows for the year. The FOMC meets with expectations of a 50bps hike. Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon says he believes the U.S. can avoid recession. Germany has said it will withstand a Russian oil embargo as the EU prepares a sixth package of san...

Nasdaq marks its worst month since 2008 with rising rates and inflation weighing heavily on the tech sector. We hear from Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett who says “inflation swindles almost everybody”. The legendary investor is taking large bets on the U.S. markets despite seeing “market mania”. In Asia, stocks slide after Chinese manufacturing hits its lowest level in 2 years with Beijing’s...

U.S. markets bounce back with the Nasdaq enjoying its best day for a month. However, Apple’s share price drags in extended trade, however, after CEO Tim Cook warns of an $8bn hit due to continuing Covid and supply constraints. Amazon is also in the red after reporting its first quarterly loss in 7 years, weighed down by its stake in EV maker Rivian. CFO Brian Olsavsky says that inflation is here t...

It’s a big earnings week on both sides of the Atlantic. Facebook parent Meta smashes Q1 expectations with the stock soaring 18 per cent in after-hours trade. However, COO Sheryl Sandberg tells CNBC that the outlook remains challenging. Asia-focused lender Standard Chartered hikes income guidance after a strong start in 2022 but it remains cautious on Covid fallout in China. In foreign exchange new...

Tech stocks hit a 12-month low, compounding heavy losses for US markets in April and pulling the Nasdaq down to its worst day since September 2020. Meanwhile, Russia appears to come good on its threat to begin using its gas exports as a tool in its war with Ukraine, and standoff with Western allies. Moscow cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, in what a top Ukrainian official calls 'the beg...

Elon Musk’s Twitter bid is successful after the social media group's board approves his 44 billion dollar takeover bid. The acquisition sparked a flurry of speculation over what the future of the platform may hold. The PBOC pledges more economic support, after Chinese equities post their worst day since February 2020, pushing Asian equities higher. HSBC beats expectations despite posting a near 30...

CNBC is live from Paris where Emmanuel Macron has become the first French President to be re-elected in 20 years. The incumbent defeated his far-right rival with 58 point 5 percent of the vote. He told CNBC now is the time to get to work after divisive elections. National Rally leader Marine Le Pen conceded defeat, but hailed a stronger showing compared to 5 years ago and pledged to redouble effor...

Treasury yields climb and global markets tumble as Fed Chair Jerome Powell tells CNBC during an IMF debate that a 50 basis point hike in May is firmly on the table. French election campaigning enters its final stretch, and polls show President Emmanuel Macron widening his lead over far-right challenger Marine Le Pen ahead of Sunday's vote. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire tells CNBC exclusively tha...

Netflix plunges with more than $50bn wiped from its market cap. Legendary investor Bill Ackman also takes a $400m hit to his Pershing Square fund as a result. EV maker Tesla reports record Q1 profits, this despite the shutdown of its Shanghai giga-factory during the mega-city’s ongoing Covid lockdown. CEO Elon Musk has told CNBC he hopes to avoid further price hikes. French presidential candidates...